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Oyo state government has sent signal warning to the owners of illegal structures and shanties at different locations in the state with the commencement of the demolition exercise.
The exercise has commenced with demolition of shanties and illegal structures around St. Gabriel’s Secondary Commercial School, at Sabo – Jembewon Area, Ibadan.
The Chairman of the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority, (OYRLEA) Hon. Justice Aderonke A. Aderemi (rtd) led the team to enforce the Executive order.
She submitted that this Executive Order, as issued in 2023 by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, could not be thwarted but must be obeyed with strict adherence, hence the need for this action.
“No going back on Shanties and Illegal Structures demolitions across the State, she affirmed.
Speaking further, Justice Aderemi (rtd.) expressed that safety and sanity concerns for students of the St. Gabriel’s Secondary Commercial School could not be overlooked any longer as the shanties latch on the fence of the School, serving as a place of abode, hideouts for criminals, shops for the occupants that harbour dangerous substances and an environment that foster the perpetration of vices.
She said adequate notifications were given to the occupants before the demolition exercise.
Recall that there was an ‘on the spot’ inspection and assessment in March 14th, 2025 that resulted to an humble appeal from the Seriki nSabo Community Heads till April 10th of this year .
The exercise was executed with patience to ensure safety of lives as residents joined hands to salvage what they could of their goods.
Security personnel of the Operation Burst, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Amotekun Corps were on the ground to maintain law and order against the protesting dwellers of the shanties.
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Although the leadership of the shanty community admitted that adequate notices were given to them, they however lamented that their means of livelihood is gone.
According to a representative of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Omololu Babatola, of the Land Matters Unit, department of Planning, Research and Statistics, the situation at Sabo – Jembewon had been a challenge to education in the area, he said.
Oyo State Government is reassuring the citizens that necessary monitoring exercises would be periodically carried out in the area and to prevent the return of shanties around the schools.
