- Hundreds of tenants at Yauri Flats Estate in Sokoto protest forceful eviction by state government.
- Tenants received 24-hour quit notice from Ministry of Lands and Housing.
- Tenants, mostly students and petty traders, have lived in the area for decades.
- Group leader Alhaji Dauda Aliyu Na Baguda appeals to government to reconsider.
- Tenants occupy over 180 rooms, with 5-6 people per room.
- Government plans to demolish quarters to create open space for community.
- Tenants were loyal supporters of ruling party during 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
- No alternative housing offered to evicted tenants.
Hundreds of tenants living in the Boys Quarters at Yauri Flats Estate in Sokoto are facing forceful eviction by the state government, and they’re not going down without a fight. The tenants, who represent various ethnic groups, gathered at the NUJ Secretariat to protest the sudden eviction notice, holding placards demanding fair treatment.
The Sokoto State Government issued a 24-hour quit notice, threatening legal action if the tenants don’t vacate the premises, but the tenants are refusing to budge. Many of them are students and petty traders who have lived in the area for decades and have nowhere else to go. The group’s leader, Alhaji Dauda Aliyu Na Baguda, appealed to the government to reconsider, emphasizing that Nigerian tenancy laws require a reasonable timeframe for vacating premises .
What’s really shocking is that these tenants were loyal supporters of the ruling party and actively participated in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. You’d think that would count for something, but apparently not. The government plans to demolish the quarters to create an open space for the community, but that doesn’t help the hundreds of people who will be left without a home.
The situation is dire, with over 180 rooms occupied by 5-6 people each. The tenants are begging for alternative housing, but so far, none has been offered. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen forced evictions in Nigeria, unfortunately. There have been similar cases in Port Harcourt, where thousands of people are at risk of losing their homes . It’s heartbreaking to see people being treated this way.
