Some Beninese farmers resident in Erinja in Yewa South Local Government area of Ogun State, have cried our over move by the Federal Government to destroy their homes and farmlands to pave way for the building of Police Secondary School in the town.
The farmers, whose delegation spoke with journalists in Abeokuta,Ogun State capital, said the proposed secondary school projects, would wipe out all their means of livelihood.
Led by Romain Kakpo, the president of Benenise Resident in Nigeria, Ogun State Chapter, the farmers representatives, Lokossou Theophile and Amanjola Leonard, said the land in questions ,measuring about seven acres, were purchased from the owners, who issued them required documents.
According to them, the land were purchased from the family in 2012 and 2015 stating that the land which they bought for N300,000 then is now being sold for N3m per plot.
The claimants said while they are also farming on parts of the land on which they planted cassava, concrete blocks are being moulded in another portion, just as they have also houses in which they are living.
“It is not ordinary land. This is where we are living with our family. We have borehole and houses on the land, we are moulding blocks on the land just as we have cassava on the land running into acres.
“We have held series of meetings with the Kabiyesi Elerinja of Erinja, Oba Alani Egunjobi on the way forward but there is no way we can accept N600,000 that he wanted to offer us.
“The amount that he wanted to offer us is grossly inadequate for the land alone not to talk of the borehole, and other farm products, such as cassava, Plantain , Palm tree, Pineapple and other crops on the land.
“We are appealing that the Federal Government should send delegation to do proper assessment and valuation of what we have on the land and the land itself including our houses. We are nit enemies of development but the right thing should be done to compensate us adequately.”
The claimants, threatened that they would have no choice that to approach court, if the government fails to do the right thing of paying them adequate compensation.
Reacting on the issue the Elerinja of Erinja, Oba Alani Egunjobi, said there was no dispute that the men were occupying some portions of land in the community on which they are farming.
He said, the fact that someone was occupying a portion or portions of land does not mean that the government cannot acquire it for developmental purpose like the issue in question.
” We have held series of meetings with the people including the natives in the area. We have arrived at paying compensation for them. In fact their cheques are ready. But some of them that refused to submit names to be written on their cheques are the one delaying us. Despite that those that are ready, would get start receiving their cheques from tomorrow , Thursday .
