Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Tenants occupying Boys Quarters (BQ) of Yauri Flats estate in Sokoto metropolis have staged a peaceful demonstration to voice their anger over their forceful ejection by the State Government.
People across diverse ethnic groups were at the press center holding placards with inscriptions, “We demand justice to “Justice for tenants of Yauri Flats BQs”
Sokoto Government Estate through the Ministry of Lands and Housing gave tenants 24-hour quit notice or face the full wrath of the law.
On Wednesday, the aggrieved tenants protested against the government’s 24-hour ultimatum to vacate the estate.
While at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Secretariat, the group leader, Dauda Aliyu Na Baguda, appealed to the Sokoto State government to consider their plight and do justice to them.
He explained that the majority of tenants occupying the BQs are students and petty traders who in the vicinity for decades, living peacefully with their neighbors.
“Our ejecting from the estate is detrimental to our well-being as we lack alternative housing options to move in.”
The tenants, who were in hundreds, were born and brought up in the environment by their parents most of whom were dead for a long time.
Na Baguda noted that efforts to channel their complaints to the state Ministry of Lands, Housing Survey, and Town Planning proved impossible.
“We participated fully during the electioneering campaigns of the present Governor Ahmed Aliyu and APC as a political party in 2022 and 2023”
“We were all members and card-carrying members of the APC the ruling party in the state, but look at how they are maltreating us”
“It’s worth noting that, the Nigerian tenancy laws require a reasonable time for a quit notice to enable tenants to vacate premises with dignity and respect.”
“A 24-hour notice notice seems too short for tenants to seek alternative accommodations.
“The lack of alternative housing options and insufficient notice is of great concern to us.”.
The concerned tenants occupy over 180, rooms of the estate’s boys’ quarters with 5-6 occupants per one.
The majority of the occupants of the area are students and petty traders who stay in the flat for over a decade, with some born and raised in the quarters.
The State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey, and Urban Planning, Barr. Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho, while on a visit to the estate said the Ministry planned to demolish the quarters to convert the area into an open space.
The government was advised to utilize the land for the benefit of the community.
