NEWSCircular road: Scores of landlords stranded as Oyo govt begins demolition of houses

 

Scores of landlords in some parts of Ibadan are currently stranded as a result of demolition of their property by the Oyo State Government.

DAILY POST reports that no fewer than 50 houses along the Ibadan Circular Road were demolished in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The project, aimed at decongesting major entry and exit points of Ibadan, was initiated by a former Governor Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, but the construction started during the tenure of the immediate past governor, late Abiola Ajimobi.

Some of the communities affected by the circular road construction are Fashade; Aba Osho; Igbalefa; Adigbe; Badeku; Akamo; Alase; Ojoku; Dare; Isase; Oleke Meji as well as Ogido, all within Ona Ara Local Government Area.

DAILY POST reports that the affected landlords and landladies are currently stranded as a result of the demolition.

Some of the residents who spoke, appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to come to their aid.

A community leader who spoke with journalists on Wednesday, Abdulfatal Amubikan, described the development as strange.

He said, “This exercise came to us as a surprise. The governor had, during our peaceful protest to the Secretariat in January, promised that our houses will not be demolished. I was privileged to speak on behalf of others when we went there. We told him about what was posted on our houses by the Ministry of Lands.

“And first, the governor promised that our houses will not be demolished, that we should go back to our various homes. Secondly, he promised to talk to the Commissioner for Lands and get back in three months’ time. That we should just give him (Makinde) three months to work on it, but we should be rest assured that the government will not demolish our houses. The government did not wait till three months (April) before it started demolishing our houses.

“We expected that three months would lapse by next month (April) so as to meet the governor again about his promise. He also promised that the government will compensate affected residents, and since yesterday (Tuesday) till today (Wednesday), about 500 houses have been demolished. And it is still an ongoing exercise”.

Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Williams Akinfunmilayo, when contacted confirmed the development.

He added that the houses that were demolished were those built close to the circular road.

He spoke further by saying that landlords with genuine documents would be compensated by the government.

“I just enquired from the team that went there, and they said just a little over 50 were touched and some of the residents have even been removing the iron sheets before they got there. Nobody demolished 500 houses. And those buildings touched were ones about 100 to 150 metres from Circular road.

“Those who have genuine papers should come to the secretariat. The government will compensate them. What the government has acquired is 500 metres to the left and right. So, whoever is affected, with genuine papers, will be compensated,” he said.