Demolition: Oyo Govt Gives 7-day Ultimatum to IITA, FRCN, Banks, Filling Stations, Others

• Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has issued a 7-day ultimatum to property owners along Ojoo-Akinyele (Old Oyo Road) to vacate
• This is contained in a statement issued by the Oyo State Ministry of Works and Transport
• The property owners who spoke with Legit.ng expressed surprise at the Government's decision

Oyo State Government, through its Ministry of Works and Transport, has given the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Amuludun FM, Moniya, petrol stations, residential buildings and other business entities on Ojoo-Akinyele seven days to vacate.

These properties have been declared illegal by the State Government, according to the letter by the Ministry of Works and Transport signed by Eng O. F Fadare.

Oyo declared flagged structures on Oyo road illegally developed

The letter titled "Notice for Removal of Structures Illegally Erected on the Federal Roads and Bridges Right-of-Way" focuses attention on the demolition of properties on the Ojoo-Akinyele Interchange, popularly called Old Oyo Road.

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Attached to the letter was the March 13, 2020 Public Notice that emanated from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing titled "Illegal Development of Structures, ESPECIALLY Filling Stations Within the Right of Way of Federal Roads and Bridges"

Findings by Legit.ng revealed that many structures that have been marked for demolition include the part of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), part of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Amuludun Station), petrol stations, and residential buildings.

In the individual letters that were served on the property owners by the Oyo State Ministry of Works and Transport on the Ojoo-Akinyele corridor, multiple of which were made available to Legit.ng read:

“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,”

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The letter addressed to the individuals added that:

“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,”

Property owners allege manipulation of FG’s notice

Property owners told Legit.ng that the state government through its ministry has manipulated the FG’s Ministry’s notice to issue a demolition notice, describing the step as strange and disturbing.

They contended that the state government has gone beyond the filling stations that was emphasised in the FG’s notice and, instead included all structures along the road.

“If we have violated the law is another thing entirely. What they told us was that, there was a Federal Government document that there is a right of way on the Federal Road in attached letter that was given to us and it was directed to the filling stations. Oyo State Government used that document to serve their own letter, “Notice for the removal of the Illegally constructed on the Federal Road right-of-way.

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"Meanwhile have already left a setback but I don’t think they are satisfied with that one. They measured and they just wrote some numbers: some 30.7 meters while some are more than that. I don’t know the yardstick used.”

Business owners and landlords caught unaware

The residents expressed surprise at the implementation of a five-year-old document by the Federal Government without focusing attention on the original structure contained in the notice

“The document they relied on was issued by the FG in 2020 but was not served to anybody at that time because we would have known the situation, especially with the emphasis on the filling station.

“What we are hearing is that the Government wants to dualize the road. The people on that road already gave setbacks of whatever they needed to dualize the road. They should just take whatever setbacks they are required to take instead of putting business owners under pressure and panic. Many businesses will just crumble and I don’t think this is what we need during this economic hardship”

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Business owners are responsible

The business owners on Ojoo-AKinyele Road maintained that they are responsible dutiful citizens who have paid their due including taxes and other commitments and as such do not deserve the proposed treatment by the State Government.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng learned that the Oyo State Government is planning to dualize the federal road in question after which the financial implications will be claimed by the state government

Source: Legit.ng