A large crowd of residents of Gbagyi Villa – a suburb of Kaduna metropolis trooped out, carrying placards in protest against demolition notices issued to them by Kaduna State Urban Planning Development Authority, KASUPDA. The residents said they had been living in the community for decades and had acquired the necessary titles to the lands and, as such, were jolted by the intention of Kaduna State government to eject them.
Mr. Chris Obodum, Chairman, Gbagyi Community, later told journalists that the community boasted of about 3,500 buildings, 40 churches, 16 schools and 35,000 residents. He narrated: ‘The story of Gbagyi Villa is easy to understand. For hundreds of years, the area has been inhabited by the Gbagyi people.
El-Rufai later told journalists that the residents of Gbagyi Villa were illegal squatters and that anyone who did not have C-of-O and Building Permit would have his house pulled down. Since none of the residents has C-of-O, it invariably means that the ‘Villa’ will be demolished.
Native Reports
