Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf visited the Kano State High Court on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by recent violence during nationwide hunger protests.
The court was vandalized, looted, and set ablaze by rioters.
According to PUNCH, during his visit, Yusuf expressed regret over the destruction, noting that the attackers had stolen crucial documents related to corruption charges against former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who is currently facing multiple allegations.
According to a statement from the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Tofa, Yusuf was guided through the court premises by the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Haruna Dederi, Chief Registrar Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero, and several judges.
“It is very unfortunate that enemies of Kano State hired undesirable elements to vandalise one of the historic public buildings with a mission to subvert the corruption charges against the acting National Chairman of the APC and former governor of the state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his family and aides,” Yusuf was quoted to have said.
According to the statement, the hoodlums “destroyed virtually all units of the high court, including the office of the state Chief Judge, with loss amounting to more than N1bn through the stealing of office equipment, destroying offices, burning cars and other relevant materials crucial to the dispensation of justice.”
Governor Yusuf called on youths in the state to desist from being used by detractors to engage in violence but to rather concentrate on skills acquisition to better their future, promising them the government’s support.
He ordered the immediate rehabilitation of the courthouse and the deployment of more security to ensure effective justice delivery.
Yusuf also commiserated with the Kano State Chief Judge, Justice Dije Abdu Aboki, and the entire judiciary over what he described as an ugly incident.
The governor commended the people of the state for their support and cooperation with his present administration and prayed for the sustenance of the tempo for peace, stability, and prosperity, and economic development in the state.
The management of the state high court had in a statement on August 4 lamented the invasion, vandalism and burning of the high court, saying investigation had begun to track down the perpetrators.
The spokesperson for the court, Baba Ibrahim, recalled that on August 1, rioters, who claimed to be #EndBadGovernment protesters, broke into the premises of the headquarters of the state high court, vandalised offices and “stole an unspecified amount of money and guns seized from kidnappers and kept as exhibits in ongoing cases.”
Ibrahim said, “Private and official vehicles parked on the premises of the court were razed, while some were vandalised by the protesters.
“Offices, including that of the Chief Judge and other judges in the court, were vandalised. The protesters destroyed the new and old case files and scattered everything in the buildings.
“Exhibits, including guns kept in the court’s store, were also looted.