Beninese Farmers Protest Destruction of Farmlands, Property for Police School Project

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Some Beninese farmers resident in Erinja in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State have cried out over move by the federal government to destroy their homes and farmlands to pave way for a Police Secondary School in the town.

The farmers, whose delegation spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the proposed secondary school project would wipe out all their means of livelihood if their interest is not considered.

Led by Romain Kakpo, the president of Beninese Residents in Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, the farmers representatives, Lokossou Theophile and Amanjola Leonard, said the land in question, measuring about seven acres, were purchased from the owners, who issued them required documents.

According to them, the land were purchased  from a family in 2012 and 2015, stating that  some parts of the land, which they bought for N300,000 then, is now being sold for N3million per plot.

The claimants said while they are farming on some parts of the land on which they planted cassava, concrete blocks are being molded in another portion, just as they also have houses in which they are living there.

He said: “It is not ordinary land. This is where we live with our family. We have borehole and house on the land, we are molding 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 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 used in molding blocks, and cassava planted 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 not enemies of development but the right thing should be done to compensate us adequately.”

The claimants also threatened that they would have no other choice  than to approach the court, if the government failed to do the right thing by 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 to 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 start receiving their cheques from tomorrow,” he said.