Residents affected by the ongoing construction of the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday staged a protest against alleged plans by the state government to acquire additional land for the project.

The protesters blocked key roads, including the Iwo Road intersection on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, causing severe traffic congestion in the area.

The demonstrators, drawn from Akinyele, Oluyole, Egbeda, Lagelu, Ona-Ara, and Ido local councils, carried placards appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde not to demolish their homes. They urged the government to halt the proposed expansion of the Circular Road corridor beyond the approved 150 metres.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Niyi Fasoye, Coordinator of the Ibadan Circular Road Communities, called on Governor Makinde to honour his 2024 assurance that no houses would be demolished for the project.

Another protester, Oluwatoyin Fijabi, described the project as laudable but appealed to the state government to stay within the original boundary limits.

Akeem Olaiya, another resident, said: “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, now the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.”

The protesters also dismissed claims that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had provided financial assistance to affected residents, alleging that any such support was restricted to his political associates.

The Ibadan Circular Road project, initiated to ease traffic congestion and promote development around the Oyo State capital, has continued to generate controversy over land acquisition, compensation, and its impact on surrounding communities.

Photo: and caption: Protesters