The Oyo State Government has disbursed compensation to 578 property owners affected by the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road project, as the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde continues efforts to address concerns surrounding properties affected by the major infrastructure development.
The disclosure was made by the Executive Adviser to the Governor on New Towns and Cities, Mrs. Mofoluke Adebiyi, who provided an update on the compensation exercise, noting that substantial progress had been recorded in the payment process across the two recognised categories of affected property owners.
While assuring outstanding beneficiaries of the government’s commitment to completing the exercise, Mrs. Adebiyi issued a strong warning against any attempt by individuals, including government officials, to exploit the compensation process by demanding money from beneficiaries.
She cautioned members of the public and government officials against extorting or soliciting illegal payments from property owners under the guise of facilitating screening, documentation, clearance or compensation payments.
She emphasised that the compensation exercise is being conducted through established administrative procedures and that eligible beneficiaries are not expected to pay anyone to facilitate their claims or secure approval for payment.
Mrs. Adebiyi urged affected property owners to remain vigilant and report any individual or official demanding money from them, reiterating the government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and fairness throughout the exercise.
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The first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road stretches 32.2 kilometres, beginning from the Abiola Ajimobi Technical University axis along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Oluyole Local Government Area, passing through Ona Ara Local Government Area and terminating at Badeku Junction along the Ibadan-Ife Expressway in Egbeda Local Government Area.
According to Adebiyi, affected properties were classified under two categories: Right of Way (RoW) and Omission.
Under the Right of Way category, which covers properties located within 75 metres on either side of the road median, a total of 674 structures were initially enumerated. However, following appeals and concerns raised by residents across the affected local government areas, Governor Makinde approved a reduction of the initial 150-metre setback to 75 metres in clustered and built-up areas.
The governor subsequently approved ₦3,862,151,322.20 as compensation for property owners in this category. So far, 411 claimants have appeared before the Screening Committee, while 378 have successfully completed the required processes, including the execution of Deeds of Indemnity, secured clearance and received their payments.
For the Omission category, which comprises individuals who claimed their properties were affected by the project but were not captured during the initial enumeration exercise, the Oyo State New Towns and Cities Development Authority (OYNTCDA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Office of the Surveyor-General, conducted a fresh enumeration exercise.
The exercise identified 251 affected structures, prompting the governor to approve an additional ₦1,813,954,100 as compensation for eligible property owners under the category.
Adebiyi disclosed that 216 property owners had appeared before the Monitoring Team on Payment of Compensation Screening Committee, while 200 claimants who completed the necessary documentation and executed their Deeds of Indemnity had been cleared and paid a total of ₦1,493,784,700.
In total, the government has paid compensation to 578 property owners across both categories, with the cumulative disbursement exceeding ₦5.35 billion.
The Executive Adviser, however, clarified that the exercise remains ongoing, assuring all eligible property owners who are yet to receive payment that the government remains committed to ensuring that their claims are duly processed in line with established requirements.
She explained that 263 claimants in the Right of Way category and 35 in the Omission category were yet to appear before the Screening Committee, while some other claimants were still expected to complete the necessary documentation to qualify for payment.
She further disclosed that only 16 claimants had experienced unsuccessful payment transactions due to discrepancies between the names submitted during screening and the details attached to their bank accounts. According to her, efforts were ongoing to resolve the discrepancies and facilitate the outstanding payments.
Adebiyi reiterated that the compensation process had been conducted transparently and without favouritism, stressing that due process remained the guiding principle in the assessment, screening and payment of affected property owners.
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The Oyo State Government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing major infrastructure projects while ensuring that the interests of affected residents are adequately considered, maintaining that the ongoing compensation exercise forms part of its approach to balancing infrastructure development with fairness, accountability and responsible governance.
