Dry port: Oyo communities protest alleged forceful land acquisition, state’s dud cheque issuance

Residents of more than 30 communities in Oyo State’s Akinyele Local Government Area protested on Wednesday over what they claimed was the government’s forced acquisition of their lands and property for the Oyo dry port project without providing adequate compensation and the issuance of dud cheque.

They thus urged Seyi Makinde, the Governor of the state, and Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria, to honour their prior commitments by appropriately resettling them and making sure they are spared the negative effects of citing and port building in the area.

Balogun Oluwaseyi, Akorede Sikiru, Magreth Akerele, Tunji Adepoju, and Monrufat Sunmonu, speaking on behalf of others, stated that the Oyo dry port situation affected communities span around 30 villages within the local government.

Oluwaseyi said, “Governments at all levels are yet to fulfil their promises, governments at all levels have failed to fulfil their previous agreements, a move which has sent cold shivers down the spine of some of us.”

Sunmonu said, “We are appealing to the state government to come to our aid, security here has been so bad, criminal elements have turned uncompleted buildings into their hideouts, and armed robbers have been coming to attack us inside our houses.

“I am yet to collect my own money and those that have collected cheques are yet to receive the payment as they have been complaining bitterly over bounced cheques issued by the state government.”

As of the time of publication, Segun Olayiwola, the state commissioner for lands, housing, and survey, could not be reached.