The Seyi Makinde-led Oyo State government wants to demolish over 300 properties on the Ojoo-Akinyele axis of Ibadan, the state capital, without paying compensation, multiple residents have told OYOINSIGHT.COM.
In a 7-day demolition notice issued to affected residents on Monday, April 14, and reviewed by this newspaper, the state government noted that the affected properties are structures illegally erected on the federal roads and bridges right-of-way.
“Notice is hereby given, in line with the publication of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in THISDAY Newspaper of Friday, March 13, 2020 and Federal Highways Regulations (Both attached herewith), for removal of the marked structure(s) belonging to you which is (are) within the Right of Way of the Federal Road (Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange) within seven (7) days of receipt of this letter,” the letter from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport read in part.
“The marked or existing structures referred to above are: i) Pump/underground services (ii) Fence (iii) Bill Board (iv) Building/Kiosk
(v) Shop (vi) Pavement (vii) Filling Station,” the letter added.
However, in multiple conversations with this newspaper, residents alleged that the state government issued a demolition notice, as opposed to a revocation notice mandated by the Land Use Act, to avoid paying affected individuals for properties they legally own.
“This demolition notice is a smokescreen the government wants to use to demolish properties without compensation.
“Most of the buildings, particularly the commercial structures by the roadside, have registered survey and approved building plan issued by the Bureau of Physical Planning of Oyo State. If these buildings are on the government’s right-of-way, why approve the building and survey plans in the first place?” one of those affected asked OYOINSIGHT.COM’s reporter rhetorically.
This latest controversy over demolition of structures in the axis follows an established pattern of controversies that the Makinde administration continues to be shrouded in.
Recall that in 2020, OYOINSIGHT.COM reported how the management of Assets filling station, Ojoo, dragged the state government to the high court of the state over the demolition of its property.
In the prolonged legal battle, the filling station questioned the rationale behind the government’s demolition of the property when it obtained Certificate of occupancy from both federal and state governments.
Earlier this month, the state government was forced to release N264m as compensation to property owners affected by the Senator Rasheed Adewolu circular road corridor after a series of controversies similar to how the Makinde administration handles development in the state.
