Four individuals were reported dead in Rimin Auzinawa, Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State, following a confrontation between local residents and security personnel during a demolition exercise.
The victims were allegedly shot when security forces opened fire after residents resisted the destruction of their homes.
According to ThePunch, the Kano Urban Planning and Development Authority had previously marked the affected buildings—mostly residential structures under construction—for demolition.
Approximately 40 buildings were said to be involved, with the contested land claimed by Bayero University, Kano.
A resident impacted by the demolition, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Punch in a telephone interview that the Kano Urban Property Development Authority had initially cleared the properties, confirming they were outside the university’s land.
“We resolved all issues with KNUPDA. They assured us our properties were not on BUK land. But on Sunday night, officials from KNUPDA and security forces arrived and demolished the buildings.
“When residents resisted, the security personnel opened fire, resulting in the deaths of four individuals who have since been buried. It’s a tragic situation,” the source said.
The newspaper reported that attempts to obtain an official response from KNUPDA were unsuccessful, as efforts to contact the agency’s Managing Director were in vain. His mobile phone was not switched off.
Meanwhile, the KNUPDA office was deserted, with many officials allegedly going into hiding for fear of retribution from the aggrieved residents.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Kano State Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the incident.
