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Demolition: Our Lives are in Danger, Kano Community Cried Out, Looters Police Attack Journalist

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A building marked for demolition

 

 

Residents of Salanta Quarters along B.U.K Road in Kano State have raised the alarm over fear of their safety after looters numbering over 1000 invaded their community last night alongside officials of Kano State Government who descended on the area for demolition of houses marked as illegal structures.

Muhammad Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of the community’s forum said, there was pandemonium in the area last night after the said hoodlums and thugs took over the area attacking and beating up people including a pregnant woman who is currently battling for her life in the hospital.

According to him trouble started in the community a day after officials from the Kano State Urban Planning and Development Agency (KANUPDA) visited the area marking structures for demolition, a development which prompted them to rush to the agency to have an audience with the Managing Director but to no avail.

“KANUPDA officials were here earlier on Thursday to mark our houses for demolition. We quickly rushed to their office to see the MD to inform him that we have every necessary document for our houses but we were told the MD was not available and we should go back and just pray”.

We also tried to secure court injunctions to stop the state government from carrying out the demolition but to our greatest surprise, the courts refused to grant us our request on the ground that the state government has ordered them not to grant such order”.

“Behold, we came under attack last night (Friday) at about by 10pm by looters not less than a thousand who accompanied KANUPDA’s officials for demolition exercise which you can see for yourself. We were left in panic; no one was able to sleep last night.”

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“Just the way you were attacked today, that was how we were attacked last night in the presence of Civil Defense Officials who accompanied them but refused to protect us”.

He added that the exercise was carried out in the presence of the secretary to the state government, Baffa Bichi and the reinstated state Anti-Corruption agency, Bar. Muhuyi Magaji which further affirmed that the looters are having their field day under the protection of the state government” we have lost billions of naira between last night to this afternoon. My building alone cost me over 150million not to talk about others”.

Aliyu pleaded on human right organizations, the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders to come to their rescue as they fear more damages could be done in the area as the police have informed them that they have been asked to keep away.

 

On his part, the secretary of the Public Property Recovery Committee of Kano State Government, Barrister Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, stated that they did not go to Salanta as alleged in the media reports. Instead, the government have taken steps to demolish illegal buildings erected at the Kano State Polytechnic.

He emphasized that in Kano, where the population is projected to quadruple every decade, the former Government of Kano State corruptly diverted part of Kano State polytechnic and allocated to families and crannies which he vowed the incumbent will never be allowed to be swept under the carpet. This is because future citizens of Kano would have no place to study.
He maintained that it is a misinformation and mischief for someone to claim that he was victimized in the process as according to him the government is in possession of video evidence of all the process to counter the narrative.
“Without prejudice to the position of government on any private building erected in that public owned polytechnic, yet no single house was demolished but the government started reclaiming fenced lands you can go and verify “

Yakubu Salisu a journalist with Blazon news Nigeria and acting chairman online journalists association Kano chapter came under attack after scores of looters descended on him with stones and other dangerous weapons for capturing them on pictures and videos. Shortly after the narrow escape, Anti-Daba police officers who rushed to the area also pounced on this journalist and took away his phone deleting pictures and videos saying that they were not authorized to be there as such will be in danger should the videos and pictures show their faces that they came on their own discretion to chase away the looter and took off immediately.

 

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APC Extends Membership Registration, Reschedules Congresses and Convention

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a revised timetable for its internal activities, extending its electronic membership registration and rescheduling upcoming congresses and its national convention.

The decisions were reached during the 183rd meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja. In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the party outlined the key changes.

The electronic membership registration exercise has been extended from January 31 to February 8, 2026. According to the statement, the extension follows requests from party stakeholders and is intended to allow more supporters and members to register or validate their membership.

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Furthermore, the schedule for party congresses has been adjusted. Ward congresses are now set to hold on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, while the National Convention has been rescheduled for March 27–28, 2026.

The statement also clarified that some states would be excluded from the forthcoming state congresses. Osun State, Ekiti State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are exempted due to upcoming elections, while Rivers State is excluded because of the subsisting tenure of the current party executive committees in the state.

Additionally, the NWC confirmed the constitution of a National Convention Planning Committee. The party noted that further details regarding the adjusted timetable and the composition of the planning committee would be communicated in due course.

These changes mark a significant recalibration of the APC’s internal electoral calendar as it prepares for its national convention and subsequent political engagements.

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Turaki-Led PDP Faction to Appeal Court Ruling, Affirms Legitimacy

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced it will appeal a Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan that refused to grant its request for an order of mandamus. The court, in its Friday judgment, stated that granting the order would amount to reviewing decisions of courts of equal jurisdiction—a ruling the faction described as “not unexpected.”

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, and posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the faction confirmed it has directed its legal team to file an appeal immediately and take all necessary legal steps to defend its standing.

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Despite the legal setback, the faction asserted that its leadership, which emerged from the PDP’s Ibadan convention, remains legally intact and unaffected. The statement called on members to stay calm and resolute, assuring them there is “absolutely no cause for alarm” and that the party’s “rebirth movement remains firmly on course.”

The development is part of an ongoing internal dispute over leadership and legitimacy within the PDP, with rival factions seeking judicial affirmation. All eyes are now on the appellate courts, whose decisions could significantly influence the party’s structure and direction ahead of future political activities.

The faction expressed confidence that higher courts would ultimately uphold its position, stating it “awaits the authoritative pronouncement of the appellate courts.”

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Fayemi Denies Alleged Closed-Door Meeting with Kwankwaso

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has denied reports claiming that he held a closed-door meeting with former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Abuja residence.

Fayemi, immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, dismissed the report in a statement issued by the Head of his Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh, on Thursday, describing the claim as false and urging the public to disregard it.

The report, which circulated on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, was shared by several social media handles alongside an old video clip showing Fayemi greeting Kwankwaso at his residence.

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According to the statement, the former Ekiti governor had met Kwankwaso only once in the past year and not in any private political setting.

“Dr Fayemi has only met Senator Kwankwaso once in the last year, and that occasion was at the public book launch of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN,” the statement said.

It added that, “At no time has Dr Fayemi held, or is he holding, any closed-door political meeting with Senator Kwankwaso as suggested by the post.”

The former governor acknowledged that he and Kwankwaso have been friends since their time as governors, but stressed that their relationship is personal and non-partisan.

He noted that the friendship is “based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to the progress of Nigeria, rather than on any political alignment.”

Fayemi also cautioned against attempts by political actors to attach partisan interpretations to private relationships, noting that many of his friends and associates are either not involved in partisan politics or belong to different political persuasions.

The statement added that Fayemi’s associates “span the entire spectrum of Nigeria’s political terrain.”

It, therefore, reaffirmed the former governor’s commitment to national unity, principled engagement, and responsible public discourse.

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