Residents affected by the ongoing construction of the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, have taken to the streets to protest the alleged plan by the state government to acquire additional land for the project.
The demonstrations, which extended to major areas such as the Iwo Road junction along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, caused heavy traffic gridlock on Saturday.
Protesters from Ido, Lagelu, Ona Ara, Akinyele, Oluyole, and Egbeda Local Government Areas said the government’s new acquisition plan exceeds the 150-metre land space earlier approved during the administration of former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, now the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Speaking during the protest, one of the demonstrators, Akeem Olaiya, said residents only want the government to respect the original boundaries established years ago.
“We are law-abiding citizens. You can see that our protest is peaceful. What we need is very simple — for the state government to maintain the 150 metres already marked by former Governor Rashidi Ladoja,” Olaiya said.
The Ibadan Circular Road project was first conceived during Ladoja’s administration between 2003 and 2007. It is intended to ease traffic congestion within the city and improve connectivity across major routes.
