Ekiti Muslims accuse Governor of victimising them

They said this while protesting the government’s seizure of a large expanse of land on Ilawe road, Ado Ekiti, which they claim belongs to them.

Alhaji Azeez Ibiyemi, the spokesman of the protesters said “The Government had taken over a portion of AUD secondary school for the construction of Ministry of Works and the Pilot school in Ajilosun and no compensations were paid.

“The schools owned by Catholic, Anglican and Baptist churches have large expanse of lands, why must Muslims be targeted as victims of land seizure by government?”

Ibiyemi also said “We have the Certificate of Occupancy with us and the survey plan. This land belongs to all the Muslims in Ekiti and what we wanted to build on it is our International mosque, international Youth Centre, hospital and a tertiary institution and that was why we decided not to collect compensation when the schools were taken over by government, so that we can make use of the remaining land.”

Punch Newspapers reports that the Commissioner for Information, Mr Lanre Ogunsuyi said “It was wrong for individuals to say a particular land belongs to him. Government has the power to acquire any land, even if there is house on it. But the Muslim community is very important to us. We will dialogue with them and settle this matter amicably.”

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The Leader of National Council of Muslim Youth, Alhaji Jamiu Ola-anabi also threatened to drag the Ekiti state government to court.

Governor Ayo Fayose has been a vocal critic of President Buhari’s administration, referring to it as a one chance government.

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