Business owners and the Landlords/Caretakers Association in Kano State have expressed concerns over the exorbitant tenancy fees and multiple taxation imposed on them by the state government.

Most of the businesses owned by non-indigenes in Sabon Gari area of Kano State have been displaced from their legitimate businesses following the closure of their shops since last week.

In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the association, Chief Basil Ulasi, accused Fagge Local Government Area and the state Ministry of Land of allegedly working against the dictates of the Kano State Land Act.

According to them, “The government’s unpopular ‘Sledge Hammer’ concentrated largely in Sabon Gari, an enclave predominantly dominated by non-natives.

“We have been paying tenancy fees and rates to Fagge LGA on a mutual understanding, without hassles, over the years.

“The tenancy rates and fees were below N5000, until 2024 when they increased to N15,000 for downstairs and N20,000 for upstairs per annum. We complied and paid without complaining.

“But to our consternation, in 2025, they brought some individuals, posing as consultants to Fagge LGA under the nomenclature of AAJ Consultancy Firm, who hiked the tenancy rates and fees to over N1 million.”

The statement further stated that: “The state Ministry of Land, through what they call Kanjis, also demanded over N1.6 million annual rates and fees from landlords on the same property the Fagge Local Government Area is collecting tenancy rates and fees.”

The association, however, appealed to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and other relevant authorities to quickly intervene before the situation snowballed into anarchy. (THISDAY)