The Oyo State government has justified the demolition of some buildings allegedly belonging to the Yoruba Nation agitators who invaded the State Secretariat, last Saturday.
The state Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Mr William Akin-Funmilayo, on Thursday, said the demolition of the buildings was carried out in line with a court order.
This was as the government urged residents of the state to always promptly and immediately report any suspicious act or threatening activity in their vicinity to the appropriate authorities.
The state government had, on Tuesday, demolished the buildings belonging to the Yoruba Nation agitators who were said to be using the buildings for their illegal activities.
The buildings were located separately at the Shagari area,Toye Oyesola Street, Boluwaji and at Zone 4, Irorun Oluwa Community, Fatusi Ayegun Road, Odo Dudu Area, both in Oluyole Local Government Area, Ibadan.
The commissioner said: “The demolition was carried out two days ago and was based on an Oyo State High Court order. The court order was to the effect that the structure should be demolished.
“I will say one or two things about the order. It has to do with the Yoruba Nation agitators as this building belongs to them as contained in the court order.
“It is captured in the court order that it is believed that the building housed dangerous weapons and firearms. The activities going on there constituted a threat to peace and tranquility in Oyo State.”
Mr Akin-Funmilayo, however, assured that the Governor ‘Seyi Makinde-led administration will continue to prioritise the safety of lives and properties of its people with maximum security, urging them to support government efforts.
He further said: “I will advise residents around these areas to have a rest of mind. Government is out there to secure lives and properties and when such threat comes up, the government will take immediate actions.
“However, I want to implore residents around these areas to always inform the appropriate authorities whenever they notice any suspicious activity in their area.
“As His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde, always says, ‘if you see something say something’. Security should be the concern of everyone in the society; the government can only act on the information that you give it.
“Once again, I implore everyone, whenever we see anything that could be a threat to lives or peaceful living, please bring it up to the attention of the government to protect lives and properties.”
Residents of the areas where the demolition were carried out appealed to the state government to level the structures to Ground Zero to prevent hoodlums from using them as hideouts to perpetrate their evil acts.
Members of the Landlords and Landladies Association, Irorun Oluwa Community said when they noticed strange movements of the agitators on Saturday morning during their association meeting.
They further claimed that, following the suspicion, they called the Rescue Line 615 to alert the police, adding that the police responded swiftly.
The members of the landlords’ association explained further that the building belonged to a woman who was unknown to them.
They informed that lots of rifles, firearms, dangerous weapons, camouflage uniforms and kits were later discovered in the massive compound.
In a related development, the Oyo State government has demolished a facility being used by suspected illegal miners to process and package lithium out of the state.
This was contained in a press release on Thursday by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, Sulaimon Olanrewaju
The facility, located at Idi Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area of the state, was demolished after the government obtained a court order for that purpose.
Recall that Governor Makinde had, on 28 February, 2024, ordered the closure of the facility, which was originally meant for recycling batteries and tyres.
