Oyo demolition: Government destroys illegal buildings, many stranded

The Oyo State Government has demolished illegal structures erected on government-acquired lands in the Podo area, along Top One Garden in Oluyole Local Government, and at Dizengoff, Kolapo Ishola area, both within the Ibadan metropolis.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Williams Akin-Funmilayo, led the demolition exercise on Wednesday, warning land grabbers against encroaching on government property.

Speaking during the exercise, Akin-Funmilayo stated, “The lands in question are assets of the state government, and we will not tolerate any form of encroachment or illegal occupation. Those currently working on the land are not the rightful owners but are purely land grabbers.”

He cited Section 3, Subsection 1 of the Oyo State Real Property Protection Law, 2017, which prescribes a jail term of up to 15 years for anyone found guilty of land grabbing or related offences.

Akin-Funmilayo further explained that the government had issued revocation notices to the occupants of the Podo area along Top One Garden, followed by a newspaper publication in a national daily on 25 September 2012.

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“The land was also gazetted the same year, indicating its acquisition for a neighbourhood market,” he added.

He noted that despite these measures, some occupants challenged the acquisition in court but lost the case, as the judgment was delivered in favour of the state government.

The commissioner, however, assured that the government was open to compensating landowners with valid Certificates of Occupancy.

He reiterated Governor Seyi Makinde’s stance against land grabbing, saying, “The governor has declared zero tolerance for land grabbing and is committed to ensuring that the state’s assets are used for the benefit of all citizens.”