Residents of six local government areas in Ibadan have raised strong objections to the Oyo State government’s plan to acquire an additional 850 metres of land for the ongoing Ibadan Circular Road project, describing the move as an attempt to displace and oppress thousands of people.
The residents, drawn from Akinyele, Ona Ara, Ido, Lagelu, Oluyole, and Egbeda local government areas, urged the government to maintain the 150 metres corridor originally marked for the project during the administration of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, who conceived the road initiative.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Iyaganku, Ibadan, the community members alleged that government officials had begun marking additional portions of land in their communities without due process or consultation.
The residents’ spokesman, Prince Niyi Fasoye, cautioned the government against extending the project corridor, warning that such an expansion would render many families homeless and cause untold hardship.
“We want the government to maintain the already marked 150 metres. The government should not acquire more land. No more corridor. They have already taken enough, and we don’t want our houses to be demolished,” Niyi said.
He disclosed that the affected communities have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to address their concerns, threatening a mega peaceful protest if their demands are ignored.
“If the Oyo State government fails to address the issues within seven days, residents across the six local governments will embark on a massive protest. We are calling on His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, to fulfill his order of no further demolition and to convene a roundtable discussion with adequate representation from all affected areas,” he added.
Niyi also recalled that the Ibadan Circular Road project, now known as The Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja Circular Road, was properly initiated in 2005 through a legal acquisition process and public hearing, which was subsequently gazetted by the state government.
However, he lamented that the current administration had expanded the right of way from 75 metres on both sides to 500 metres, a move he said was done without constitutional procedures or public consent.
“It was a shock that led to death and stroke when the Oyo State government under Governor Oluseyi Makinde announced this expansion. Such actions disregard the rights of the people and the laws governing land acquisition,” he stated.
The residents reiterated their readiness to defend their homes and communities through lawful means, calling on civil society organizations, traditional rulers, and concerned citizens to intervene before the situation escalates.
