Describing the alleged seizure of the land by the Ekiti State government as an injustice and unlawful, the protesters asked the governor not to tamper with the property. They were particularly angry that the governor did not consult them before mobilising officials of the Ekiti State Ministry of Works to the land, which had been allegedly earmarked for a housing estate and a hotel.
Yesterday, the protesters gathered at the Ado-Ekiti Central Mosque at 7am and marched to the land, chasing out the officials. While there, the protesters sang Islamic songs and chanted Allahu Akbar as the procession moved from the Central Mosque at Oja Oba to Ilawe Road, where the school established in 1970, was located.
Alhaji Azeez Ibiyemi, the leader of the protesters, said the alleged land grab was embarrassing and provocative to the Muslim community, which it said has a Certificate of Occupancy. He added that about 65 hectares were acquired by Muslims on the land, where schools were built by the community before the government took them over.
“We have the Certificate of Occupancy with us and the survey plan. This land belongs to Muslims in Ekiti and what we wanted to build on it is our international mosque, an international youth centre, a hospital and a tertiary institution.
“That was why we decided not to collect compensation when the schools were taken over by the government, so that we can make use of the remaining land. The government had taken over a portion of Aud Secondary School for the construction of a pilot school in Ajilosun and no compensation was paid but schools owned by Catholic, Anglican and Baptist have large expanses of lands, so why must Muslims be targeted?” Alhaji Ibiyemi added.
Leader of the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations Alhaji Jamiu Ola-Anabi advised the government to back down in the interest of peace. Alhaji Ola-Anabi said the Fayose government should have met with the community before moving into the land, adding that encroachment without their consent could spark an unending crisis.
Ekiti State commissioner for information, Lanre Ogunsuyi said the government, however, was ready to dialogue to resolve the crisis. He argued, however, that every piece of land in the state belongs to the government according to the Land Use Act.
Mr Ogunsuyi added: “It is wrong for any individual to say a particular land belongs to him or her as the government has the power to acquire any land, even if there is a house on it. The Muslim community is very important to us, so we will dialogue and settle this matter amicably.”
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