The Digest:
Thousands of residents across six local government areas in Ibadan have taken to the streets, blocking major roads to protest the Oyo State government's plan to extend the Ibadan Circular Road corridor. The protesters are demanding that Governor Seyi Makinde adhere to the original 150-meter width marked by former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, fearing the expansion will lead to further loss of homes and ancestral lands.
Key Points:
- Protesters from Ido, Lagelu, Ona Ara, Akinyele, Oluyole, and Egbeda blocked the crucial Iwo Road.
- The demonstration has caused severe traffic gridlock at one of Ibadan's busiest intersections.
- A separate group gathered at the entrance to the Agodi Government Secretariat to voice their grievances.
- The dispute centers on the state's plan to acquire more land beyond the original 150-meter corridor.
- Residents argue the expansion will unnecessarily displace more communities and destroy farmlands.
- The circular road project was originally conceived during former Governor Ladoja's administration.
- Protesters carried placards demanding that he government maintain the initial project scope.
Sources: Daily Post, The Punch
