Uba Sani: I Will Not Demolish Any Building Without Compensation

From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna

Governor Uba Sani has vowed that his government will not demolish any structure or dispossess any citizen of their building without fair and adequate compensation.

The Governor further pledged that his administration will not hide behind the guise of ‘’overriding public interest’’ to displace property owners to execute projects.

He made the promise at the flag-off of the distribution of cheques to 189 affected households along the Rigasa township roads, which was held at Rigasa on Wednesday.

According to him, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Makera road, Lokoja road, Ado Gwaram road, and Asmau Makarfi Spur was held on 12th September 2025.

The Governor said that the road projects were progressing steadily, with drainage systems and hydraulic structures under construction. Earthworks advanced appreciably along key sections.’’

However, the government faced a moral challenge because homes, businesses, and essential service infrastructure lay within the designated right-of-way, he said.

Governor Uba Sani then directed that ‘’construction be temporarily slowed to allow for a thorough, transparent, and equitable assessment of all affected properties and utilities.’’

He said that, as a policy, his administration has ‘’resolved that no citizen would be made to suffer unjustly in the name of development.’’

The Governor promised that ‘’we will not cloak expediency in the language of ‘Overriding Public Interest.’ Public interest must never eclipse private rights without restitution.’’

‘’Since 29th May 2023, when we took the oath of office, our guiding principle has been clear: governance must be anchored in justice, tempered by compassion, and executed with integrity.

‘’Roads, bridges, and public works may define the physical landscape of a state, but it is fairness and empathy that define its moral landscape,’’ he argued.

Last Wednesday, the Governor flagged off the distribution of cheques to the affected homeowners as compensation to enable them to relocate, rebuild, or reorganize their lives with dignity.

Governor Uba Sani, who thanked them for their patience and understanding, pointed out that ‘’this is not charity; it is justice fulfilled.’’

He maintained that the compensation reflects a consistent policy, adding that ‘’across Kaduna State, we have compensated approximately 120 households in Mahuta on the Rabah Road project.’’

The Governor further said that the government had earlier compensated 282 households from Magajiya to Albarkawa in Zaria, 14 households from Audi to Kako.

According to him, 86 households linking Dogon Bauchi to Kakiyeyi and 33 households along the Kabala Costain corridor, among many others, have been paid, adding that ‘’in total, we have disbursed about N2.85 billion in compensation.’’