Police arrest suspected thieves looting properties at Kano demolition sites

The police in Kano State on Friday said they have arrested additional 57 suspected thieves looting shop owners’ properties at several demolition sites in the state.

The police spokesperson in the state, Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the suspects would be charged with criminal trespass, mischief, shop breaking, and theft.

Mr Kiyawa said the arrests aligned with the command’s resolve to protect the lives and properties of people in the state.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, Mohammed Gumel, directed round-the-clock visibility patrols, following reports that some hoodlums are taking advantage of the demolition of buildings/structures by the Kano State Government to loot people’s properties.

“In addition to the forty-nine (49) suspects arrested and charged to Magistrate Court 35 Normans Land Kano, for offences of Criminal Trespass, Mischief, Shop Breaking and Theft, another fifty-seven (57) suspects have been arrested with exhibits and charged to the same court with the same offences, bringing the total to one hundred and six (106).

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“Victims are advised to come to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Bompai, Kano State Police Command to provide testimony for the various crimes committed by the suspects, or through this phone number; 0803 824 9455

“The Commissioner of Police appreciates those that assisted with information that led to the arrest made and the looted properties recovered.

“He reiterates that policing is a collective responsibility and therefore calls on parents and community leaders to admonish their wards and youths to desist from looting people’s properties, as anyone arrested will face the full wrath of the law.

“In case of emergencies, Kano State Police Command can be contacted through these phone numbers; 08032419754, 08123821575, 09029292929,” the police statement said.

Demolition exercise

The state government has been demolishing structures built on government properties it claimed were illegally sold by the immediate past administration of Abdullahi Ganduje.

The demolition exercise has resulted in the massing looting of properties by a mob who invaded and looted a Bureau De Change mall in Kano on Sunday in anticipation of an alleged plan by the state government to demolish the building.

PREMIUM TIMES witnessed how the mob vandalised buildings and carted away valuables before the demolition exercise.

Following the looting, shop owners in properties sold by the Ganduje administration were evacuating their belongings for fear that the government might demolish the structures overnight without prior notification or their properties might get looted.

The government had demolished a three-storey building with 90 shops on a race course at the Nasarawa GRA.

READ ALSO: Mob loots Kano Mall ahead of alleged planned demolition

The government also demolished Daula Hotel, a three-star hotel reconstructed by the Ganduje administration under a Private Public Partnership arrangement.

Also, the government demolished another structure, at Hajj Camp, sold to private individuals by the immediate past administration of the state.

The owners of the demolished properties have vowed to sue the Kano government over the alleged unlawful demolition of their properties.

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