Unguwar Kanawa Residents Appeal to Governor Uba Sani Over Inadequate Compensation for Demolished Homes

Residents of Unguwar Kanawa, a historic community in Kaduna State, have issued a heartfelt appeal to Governor Uba Sani, urging him to revisit the compensation process for properties demolished during the Rabah Road Urban Renewal Project initiated by the previous administration. The appeal was formally submitted by community leaders Alhaji Shu’aibu Abdullahi and Alh. Auwal Shuaibu Banagan Falakin Zazzau, of the Unguwar Kanawa Community respectively.

According to the letter addressed to Governor Sani, over 138 houses were affected by the road construction project under the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The community leaders claim that property owners received meager compensation amounts ranging from ₦60,000 to ₦2,700,000, which they argue fall far below the current market value of the demolished structures. “Many families have been left homeless, still struggling to cope with the financial burden of relocation, rebuilding, payment of rent and adjusting to sudden displacement,” the letter stated.

The community further alleged that the shock of receiving such low compensation triggered severe health crises among some residents. “Many people have died as a result of the shock when they received their cheques due to high blood pressure and sudden heart attack,” the letter claimed, highlighting the emotional and physical toll the project has had on vulnerable members of the community.

Unguwar Kanawa, described in the letter as a settlement with over a century of history, is located in the heart of Kaduna State. The community leaders emphasized the cultural and historical importance of the area, urging the current administration to conduct a reassessment of the affected properties. “We respectfully appeal to you and request for reassessment to be conducted to ensure that compensation are paid in line with the current property market values,” the letter read.

The letter praised Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to infrastructural development and empowerment programs, expressing confidence in his leadership. “We believe that equitable compensation is a key component of justice and social development, and will further strengthen the trust between the government and the community members,” the leaders wrote. They called on the governor to demonstrate compassionate leadership by ensuring fair and just compensation for all affected individuals.

In addition to Governor Sani, copies of the appeal were sent to several high-ranking officials including the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, the Honourable Speaker of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the Member Representing Kawo Constituency, the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff Government House Kaduna, the Chairman Kaduna North Local Government and heads of relevant agencies such as KADGIS and KADRA.
They concluded their letter by attaching supporting documents for the governor’s perusal and offered prayers for his continued success in building a better Kaduna State. “May Allah continue to guide and bless you in your efforts,” they wrote.

They said the tension between urban development and community welfare, raising critical questions about compensation standards and the human cost of infrastructure projects in Nigeria

During media interview with community leaders at a peaceful cry out, the Community Secretary Alh. Shuaibu Ibrahim Abdullahi said, the affected people at first were given hope that, they will get a good compensation but to his surprised, became devastated and disappointed due to inadequate payment by the previous administration under Mal. Nasiru Elrufa’i. He added that some of the affected people have died and some became depressed as a result of the trauma when they collected their cheques. The payment was not good enough to even rent a house talk less of buying another house. The secretary stated why the affected community initiated the movement was to cry out and to also pleaded with His Excellency the Distinguished Senator Uba Sani because he is a governor that listen to his people to please help and save the lives of the affected people by reviewing the payment so that they can get back their houses and settle down with their families.
Also according to Auwal Shuaibu Banagan Falakin Zazzau an affected person said, Unguwan Kanawa community is an old area with a history record of more than hundreds years located within the heart centre of Kaduna state, but was poorly compensated. One hundred and thirty eight houses (138) were demolished as a result of the road construction. He described the Elrufa’i’s administration as harsh, inconsiderate and lack of human feelings. Hundreds of families were displaced, their ancestral homes and means of livelihood were destroyed. Yet, instead of receiving fair and just compensation that would allow them to resettle and adjust to their new environment, many victims were given meagre payments that could not cover even a fraction of their losses. Leaving ordinary citizens to suffer in silence, homeless, and depressed. Banaga also pleads with the present governor as a compassionate leader to review the compensation process and ensure that justice is done for the affected people in the community.

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