The Kano State Government has vowed to investigate the alleged killing of protesters during a demolition operation at Rimin Zakara, on the outskirts of Kano’s capital, on Sunday. Eyewitnesses claimed that security forces opened fire on demonstrators, resulting in four deaths and several injuries. However, the state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Wayya, stated that official government records, based on security reports, confirmed three fatalities instead of four.
The demolition was part of an operation conducted at the request of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), which is reportedly the rightful owner of the land in question. The dispute over the land has persisted for about 40 years, with BUK’s previous attempts to remove illegal structures proving unsuccessful. Despite eviction notices being issued, some illegal occupants resisted, allegedly engaging hoodlums who injured security agents during the operation.
Wayya assured the public that the government would thoroughly investigate the incident, not only to determine the exact number of casualties but also to understand the underlying causes of the violence.
