Residents affected by the ongoing Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road project in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday staged a peaceful protest against what they described as government plans to acquire additional land for the road construction.
The demonstrators blocked major routes, including the Iwo Road intersection along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, resulting in heavy traffic congestion in parts of the city.
The protesters, drawn from Akinyele, Oluyole, Egbeda, Lagelu, Ona-Ara, and Ido local government areas, carried placards appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde not to demolish their homes. They urged the government to restrict the project to the approved 150-metre corridor, insisting that further expansion would displace more families.
Speaking on behalf of the affected communities, Niyi Fasoye, Coordinator of the Ibadan Circular Road Communities, appealed to the governor to keep his earlier promise made in 2024 that no additional structures would be demolished.
Another resident, Oluwatoyin Fijabi, commended the project’s objective but urged the state to respect the original design limits, while Akeem Olaiya added that the protesters were only asking for fairness and compliance with the boundaries marked during the tenure of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, now the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
The residents also dismissed claims that Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had provided financial relief to affected individuals, alleging that any such assistance was limited to his political supporters.
The Ibadan Circular Road project, designed to decongest traffic and boost economic activities around the state capital, has faced ongoing disputes over land acquisition, compensation, and its impact on nearby communities.
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