Oyo Govt Wages War on Encroachers, Demolishes Illegal Structure

Illegal buildings built on government-acquired property in the Ibadan metropolis’ Podo neighbourhood, along Top One Garden in Oluyole Local Government, and in Dizengoff, Kolapo Ishola neighbourhood, have been removed by the Oyo State Government.

The state Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Williams Akin-Funmilayo, supervised the demolition exercise on Wednesday, warning land grabbers against infringing 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.”

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He quoted Section 3, Subsection 1 of the Oyo State Real Property Protection Law, 2017, which stipulates that anybody convicted of land grabbing or similar acts faces a maximum 15-year prison sentence.

Akin-Funmilayo also claimed that the government had given revocation notifications to the occupants of the Podo area along Top One Garden, followed by a newspaper article in a national daily on 25 September 2012.

“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.

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However, the commissioner gave the assurance that proprietors with legitimate Certificates of Occupancy might receive compensation from the government.

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.”