A protest by farmers in five communities displaced by the airport project embarked upon by the Ekiti State government is currently ongoing in Ekiti State.
The farmers are protesting what they termed “illegal acquisition of their farmlands and unlawful destruction of economic trees and crops” by the state government.
They claimed that at least 10 farmers, including three women have died of shock as a result of “huge economic loss” following the 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 on Wednesday, asking 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 farmers, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “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”, claimed that they did not receive any valid notice before government sent bulldozers to destroy their farms.
They also said they don’t need any compensation from government but restoration of their land.
0 comments:
Post a Comment