The residence of Niger’s Deputy Governor, Ahmed Ketso, has been attacked by angry traders over their shops’ demolition.

The deputy governor’s property’s attack followed the state government’s demolition of so-called illegal structures on Minna roads.

The acting General Manager, Niger State Urban Development Board, Muhammed Bawa, told journalists in Minna that the demolition, which started from the state capital, would extend to other urban areas in the state.

He explained that the roads’ illegal structures’ demolition was to make for the Right of Way, which was part of his board’s statutory functions.

“The development control is a routine activity which we started last week, it is an ongoing thing and it will continue until all illegal structures are removed.

“From Minna, the state capital, we are planning to move to Suleja and other urban centres in the state,” said Mr. Bawa.

Bawa said the NSUDB gave prior notice to those who erected illegal structures to remove them, contrary to some of the affected people.

He said going by the provisions of the law, and the board was not obliged to notify them “because if you are occupying an illegal piece of land that is not yours and you don’t have any right, as far as the government is concerned, it would be removed.”

“We were magnanimous enough to have written to them, but the COVID-19 pandemic did not allow us to take action until now,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ spokesman in the state, Nas Abdullahi, said some youths attacked staff of the NSUDB during the demolition.

“It is true that the youths in the area attacked the board’s officials and injured a driver,” he disclosed.

Mr. Abdullahi said the driver was rushed to a hospital.

Irate youths teamed up with traders whose shops were affected in the Brighter Road market in Minna, to attack the residence of Ahmed Ketso, the state’s Deputy Governor.

One of the shop owners, Mallam Muritala Ahmed, claimed that the state government did not notify them.

Mr. Ahmed alleged the NSUDB officials asked him to move out of his shop and demolished it without allowing him to remove his cash, goods, and other valuables.

He explained, “I was just sitting in my shop, and they said, ‘come out.’ Their bulldozer was already stationed in front of my shop. Immediately, they removed me forcibly. Their bulldozer brought down my entire shop without allowing me to pick my cash, goods, and other valuables.

“I feel like dying as the board has taken me back to zero level. I am left with nothing right now.”

Moses Dunia, another trader who was affected by the demolition exercise, accused the government of protecting the deputy governor’s house built on the same lane.

Maimuna Kolo, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, said, “They (youths) decided to vent their anger on the private residence of the deputy governor. The deputy governor was just a victim of circumstance in this case.”

(NAN)