Farmers in five communities who are displaced by the airport project embarked upon by the Ekiti State government on Wednesday staged a protest against what they called “illegal acquisition of their farmlands and unlawful destruction of economic trees and crops.”
They claimed that at least 10 farmers including three women have died of shock over what they called “huge economic loss” resulting from destruction of their farms.
The farmers, who are from Igbemo, Igbogun, Aso, Iwajo and Ijan, communities that covered three local government areas of Ado, Gbonyin and Irepodun/Ifelodun, stormed the project site and urged Governor Ayo Fayose to immediately stop work on the project in respect of the suit they had filed in court.
They also described the acquisition of their land as “fraudulent, wicked, callous and illegal,” alleging that government surveyors and other officials come to their land from time to time to steal farm produce including cocoa, cocoyam, yam and banana.
The placard-carrying protesters claimed that they did not receive any valid notice before government sent bulldozers to destroy their farms, saying they don’t need any compensation but restoration of their land.
Some of their placards read: “Gov Fayose, Please Relocate Your Airport to Government Forest,” “We All Say No To Illegal Airport Project,” “Please Leave Us Alone, Don’T Damage Our Life,” “This Land Is The Major Cocoa Plantation, Please No Trespass,” “Igbogun Cries Over Illegal Destruction of Our Property,” and “Iwajo, Aso Say No To Illegal Airport.”
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