The Oyo State Government, carried out the demolition of illegal structures erected on government-acquired land in the Podo area along Top One Garden in Oluyole Local Government and at Dizengoff, Kolapo Ishola area, both within the Ibadan metropolis.
The demolition exercise, led by the State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Williams Akin-Funmilayo, took place on Wednesday, with a stern warning issued to land grabbers against encroaching on government property.
During the operation, Akin-Funmilayo emphasized that the land in question is a state asset and that any form of encroachment or illegal occupation would not be tolerated.
“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 stated.
Citing the Oyo State Real Property Protection Law, 2017, Akin-Funmilayo highlighted the severe penalties for land grabbing, including a jail term of up to 15 years for offenders.
“Under Section 3, Subsection 1 of the Oyo State Real Property Protection Law, 2017, land grabbers or those involved in related offenses face a jail term of up to 15 years,” he added.
The commissioner further clarified that the government had taken the necessary legal steps to secure the land, including issuing revocation notices to the occupants of the Podo area, which were followed by a national newspaper publication on September 25, 2012.
The land was also officially gazetted that same year for a neighborhood market project.
Despite these efforts, some of the occupants challenged the acquisition in court but ultimately lost, as the court ruled in favor of the state government.
Akin-Funmilayo assured that the government is willing to compensate landowners with valid Certificates of Occupancy.
Reiterating the government’s stance, he emphasized Governor Seyi Makinde’s firm position 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.”
