Gov Sani pledges no demolition without compensation

2026-02-19 - 17:56

Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has pledged that his administration would not demolish any structure or dispossess any citizen of property without fair and adequate compensation. Sani gave the assurance on Wednesday at Rigasa during the flag-off of distribution of cheques to 189 affected households along the Rigasa township roads. He said the government would not hide under the guise of “overriding public interest’’ to displace property owners for the execution of projects. According to him, the groundbreaking ceremony for Makera Road, Lokoja Road, Ado Gwaram Road and Asmau Makarfi Spur was performed on Sept. 12, 2025. The governor said the projects had recorded steady progress, with drainage systems and hydraulic structures constructed, while earthworks had advanced significantly along key sections. He, however, noted that the government faced a moral challenge as homes, businesses and essential service infrastructure were located within the designated right-of-way. Sani said he directed that construction work be temporarily slowed to allow for a thorough, transparent and equitable assessment of all affected properties and utilities. “As a matter of policy, we have resolved that no citizen will suffer unjustly in the name of development. “We will not cloak expediency in the language of ‘overriding public interest.’ Public interest must never eclipse private rights without restitution,” he said. The governor added that since taking the oath of office on May 29, 2023, his administration had anchored governance on justice, compassion and integrity. “Roads, bridges and public works may define the physical landscape of a state, but fairness and empathy define its moral landscape,” he said. Sani, who flagged off the distribution of cheques to enable affected homeowners relocate, rebuild or re-organise their lives with dignity, thanked them for their patience and understanding. “This is not charity; it is justice fulfilled,” adding that the gesture reflected a consistent policy across the state. According to him, about 120 households were compensated in Mahuta under the Rabah Road project, while 282 households from Magajiya to Albarkawa in Zaria and 14 households from Audi to Kako had also received compensation. He added that 86 households linking Dogon Bauchi to Kakiyeyi and 33 households along the Kabala Costain corridor, among others, had been paid. “In total, we have disbursed about N2.85 billion in compensation,” the governor said. Vanguard News