Ekiti Farmers Resentful As Fayose Destroys Farm Crops
The Governor of Ekiti state offends resident living in Obasanjo and Fayose Estates located along Ado-Ikere Expressway in Ekiti State and threatens with the confrontation of the State’s Housing Corporation following the destruction of their farmlands by bulldozers mobilised by the corporation.
They expressed shock that their farms were destroyed by the corporation officials claiming to be acting on the orders of Governor Ayo Fayose “without any prior notice” last Friday.
One of the residents said seven workmen from the corporation including a surveyor destroyed crops including yams, cassava and maize planted on the farms.
It was gathered that over a dozen mobile police officers, residing in nearby Fayose Estate also had their farms destroyed by the bulldozer. The report also says that the mobile police had vowed to take action against the corporation for destroying their farms with crops worth millions of naira.
“We were shocked by the government’s action to destroy our farms because the owners of the land gave us the go-ahead to do farming on the land so that the land can be secured for them before they develop the land,” the source said.
“This is the same government that said we should go back to land at a period our salaries are not regular.
“At least five of us were affected at Obasanjo Estate while about 20 mobile policemen at Fayose Estate were affected.
“The Landlords Association was not carried along and there was no prior notice before our farms were bulldozed. We are sad about this development and the loss is very huge.”
“This action has no political undertone, it was purely administrative. No malice, no sentiment to it, what we wanted to do is to open up the area,” he said.
” Let me also say this, these people are not even the original land owners. They are not known to us, but we will seek audience with them and resolve the matter.”
Mr. Awe revealed that the action was taken to open up access roads in the estates, adding that it was not targeted at anybody.
“They didn’t get our permission before commencing farming on the land. We have to open up the roads to give access to other land owners so that they can have access to their plots,” he further explained.
“We have a master plan of the estate which should not be distorted; the estate is for housing extension, is not meant for farming.
“The action has no political undertone, there is no sentiment or malice in what we
have done.”
