Court orders Kano to pay ₦2.6bn, return Tiamin property

A Kano State High Court has ordered the immediate return of a demolished property to Tiamin Multi-Services Global Limited and awarded ₦2.6 billion in damages against the Kano State Government.

The court ruled that the revocation of the company’s Certificate of Occupancy and the demolition of its multi-million naira structure by the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje was illegal, unconstitutional, and carried out without due process.

Justice Ibrahim Musa Muhammadu, who delivered the judgment, declared the state’s actions null and void, affirming the validity of the company’s original land titles.

The judge also condemned the government’s failure to issue a notice or offer a hearing before demolishing the property, describing the conduct as “uncouth, unlawful, and unwarranted,” and ordered full restitution to the firm.

Read also: Kano Govt declares war on press freedom, shuts down opposition

The court nullified the revocation, declared the Certificates of Occupancy valid, and ordered the Kano State Government to return the property to Tiamin. The compensation includes ₦2.125 billion as general damages, ₦500 million for the government’s unlawful actions, and ₦10 million in legal costs.

Despite having built classrooms on the seized land, the structures remained unused, further undermining the state’s justification for the takeover. Justice Muhammadu’s ruling sends a strong message on the inviolability of property rights and the limits of executive power.