Abba Yusuf signs executive order prohibiting land allocation, curve out, corner shop in Kano

By Idris Temidayo

Abba Yusuf, the governor of Kano, has signed an executive order prohibiting the allocation of land “in the name of curve out, or corner shop under whatsoever name”.

The governor signed the executive order on October 24 and took immediate effect.

Yusuf said the executive order became necessary to curtail illegal allocation of land, business premises, and encroachment of public utility buildings, including schools, hospitals, city walls (Ganuwa), and markets in the state.

He noted that the state government is concerned with the public outcry over the illegal allocation of land within or on public schools’ premises, hospitals, and other public utilities.

‘’The Kano State Government has noted with concern the attitude of creating corner shops and business premises in public buildings by public institutions including KNUPDA, housing corporation, ministry of environment/REMASAB, ministry of land and physical planning, and the local government authorities, especially those at the metropolitan,’’ the governor said.

He noted with dismay the level at which public institutions or officials are involved in the vandalisation of schools’ premises, hospitals, and other public utilities in the name of curve-out.

In the executive order, Yusuf said “no public institution in the state or any person acting on or pursuant to the authority of such public institution, including the local government councils, KNUPDA, housing corporation, ministry of environment or REMASAB, ministry of agriculture, or any other ministry, department, or agency (MDA), shall initiate, process, or approve the erection of any structure whether permanent or temporary in the name of curve-out, corner shop, whatsoever, or however called in any part of the state”.

He added that pursuant to the authority vested in him by section 5(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 1 of the Land Use Act, as the governor, “no person or any authority in the government of Kano state or local government councils other than the ministry of land and physical planning shall process, confer, or approve any occupancy permit to any person in the state”.

“Any allocation, revocation, or alteration on any market stall, shop or otherwise any existing business interest in the metropolitan area and all other designated urban areas shall follow the existing legal regime governing the land use in the state,” the executive order reads.

“No state ministry, department and agency or any local government council in the state shall approve the conversion, sell, or transfer of any landed properties, owned, allocated, or otherwise vested in it in whatever manner howsoever without the prior express approval of the governor firsthand and obtained.”

According to the second section of the order, the law prohibits the allocation of land on the ancient Kano city walls.

The law said no public institution or local government council in the state including the ministry of land and physical planning and federal institutions such as the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, shall process or cause the approval of any occupancy permit on any part of the ancient Kano City wall (GANUWA).

The order also prohibits allocation of grazing reserve and cattle route (Burtali), while adding that no ministry, department, or agency, including the ministry of agriculture, local government authority, traditional institutions, and title holders or persons in the state shall allocate, permit, or confer any right.

The governor added that the chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission shall take steps to ensure strict compliance with the order.

He noted that the commission would deploy all necessary legal instruments to check the excesses of public institutions, including local government councils, federal institutions and other violators.