The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has appealed to the Kano State Government to compensate traders impacted by the demolition of shops at the Filin Idi market in Kofar Mata. He also called for the reallocation of stalls to help affected business owners resume their livelihoods.
Sanusi, who was represented by Ibrahim Mai Bushira, made the call at a special prayer session organised by traders affected by the demolition at the Eid Ground in Kofar Mata, where participants prayed for divine intervention and government assistance to alleviate their hardship.
According to Mai Bushira, the Emir has written to Governor Abba Yusuf, requesting compensation for the affected traders and appealing for measures to address the economic losses they have suffered following the demolition.
He expressed hope that Almighty Allah would reward the Emir for his intervention and urged Governor Yusuf to consider the demands of the traders to enable them to rebuild their businesses and restore their livelihoods.
Mai Bushira said the demolition had caused severe hardship among traders, many of whom depended on their shops as their primary sources of income.
He added that some affected individuals had reportedly died, while others had developed high blood pressure following the destruction of their businesses and the resulting economic difficulties.
He explained that the prayer session was organised to seek Allah’s intervention in their predicament and pray for the restoration of their livelihoods, noting that the destruction of the shops had adversely affected the lives of many families who depended on the market for survival.
Speaking at the gathering, Ahmad Muhammad of the Federal University, Dutse (FUD), described Kano as a major commercial centre and called on the Kano State Government to pay attention to the plight of the affected traders and the economic implications of the demolition.
Muhammad also appealed to international entrepreneurs and investors to explore opportunities to support the development of the market, stressing that the destruction of the shops had resulted in substantial financial losses running into billions of naira.
He urged the government to consider establishing a modern market at the location, arguing that the Filin Idi market was not merely a trading centre for Kano but also an important commercial destination for traders from different parts of Nigeria and across Africa.
According to him, the market provides livelihoods for more than one million people, directly and indirectly, making its reconstruction and rehabilitation important to the economic well-being of Kano and its trading community.
The professor further stressed the need for a sustainable solution that would enable displaced traders to return to business, restore commercial activities and protect the economic interests of the large population that depended on the market.
In his remarks, the chairman of the affected traders’ association, Auwal Umar, thanked Almighty Allah and Emir Sanusi II for their support and intervention in the traders’ situation.
Umar said many of the affected traders were currently unable to engage in their usual commercial activities because their shops had been demolished, leaving them without the means to sustain their businesses and families.
