Ibadan Boils as Residents Protest Makinde’s Alleged Plan to Expand Circular Road Corridor

Thousands of residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday took to the streets to protest alleged plans by the state government to acquire additional lands for the ongoing Ibadan Circular Road project.

The demonstrators, drawn from several local government areas including Ido, Lagelu, Ona Ara, Akinyele, Oluyole, and Egbeda, expressed outrage over what they described as an attempt by Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to extend the original land boundary marked for the project.

The Ibadan Circular Road project was first conceived during the tenure of former governor and current Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. At the time, 150 metres of land were reportedly earmarked for the construction corridor. However, the protesters claim that the present administration is seeking to expand the corridor beyond that limit — a move they say will displace more families and encroach on community farmlands.

Chanting solidarity songs and holding placards bearing inscriptions such as “Makinde, leave our lands alone” and “150 metres is enough,” the protesters barricaded major roads across the city, including the ever-busy Iwo Road axis, causing heavy gridlock and disruption of commercial activities.

Another group of demonstrators also converged at the entrance of the Agodi Government Secretariat to register their displeasure with the proposed expansion.

Speaking with journalists, some residents insisted that while they support infrastructural development, any further extension of the project boundary would be “unfair, inhumane, and unacceptable.” They appealed to Governor Makinde to respect the initial demarcation set by Ladoja to prevent mass displacement and loss of ancestral lands.

As of press time, security operatives had been deployed to key flashpoints to prevent escalation and maintain order, while traffic remained heavily congested across several parts of the city.