Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose’s dream of building an airport has suffered a setback as displaced land owners and plantation farmers have secured a major court victory.
The judicial hammer fell on the airport project, which has generated controversies even before the foundation stone is laid.
An Ado-Ekiti High Court yesterday ruled that the forcible takeover of the land for the project and the destruction of economic trees, crops and buildings were unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null, void and of no effect.
Justice Bamidele Omotoso ordered the payment of N5 million as general damages to the claimants for the loss they suffered for the damage of their crops and economic trees.
The embattled farmers and land owners had sought N650 million as general damages in their motion on notice.
The claimants are Faluyi Ayeni and eight others who sued for themselves and on behalf of land owners and farmers of Iwajo, Aso Ayegunle Farm Settlement on Ado-Ijan Road.
The defendants are Fayose (first), Commissioner for Works (second), Commissioner for Lands and Housing (third) and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice (fourth).
Justice Omotoso held that the purported revocation of the right of occupancy of the claimants to their land was unconstitutional, unlawful, illegal, null and void and of no effect.
Another relief granted in their favour was a declaration that the forcible entry into their farmsteads by the defendants, their agents, servants, privies and assigns on October 2, last year, was unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional, inequitable and violation of their rights.
The court further held that the forcible entry into theclaimants’ farmsteads on October 2, last year, and subsequent occasions to clear and remove their crops and buildings without proper enumeration while purportedly acting on Notice of Revocation dated September 18, last year, was unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional and ineffective.
The court equally granted an order of injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, privies, workmen, appointees, consultants from treating the rights of occupancy of the claimants as having been revoked by virtue of the Notice of Revocation captioned Land Use Act Nigeria dated September 18, last year.
The defendants and their agents were also restrained from forcibly entering, trespassing, coercing, intimidating, harassing or in any other manner whatsoever from accessing the claimants’ farms and landed property.
The court also granted an injunction sought by the claimants restraining the defendants from further removing, harvesting, clearing or otherwise damaging the economic crops, buildings and chattels on the land. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Fayose this is first step to you downfall.How do thing building airport around that side will work for you?Did you make visibility study at all? Well there are several question for you this,this is act of wickedness a governor don't rule this way.Why did you other they should go and clear all economic trees,crops and houses built in Afao.Nemesis has started working on you.More to come in connection with Ekitigate and your misappropriation spending.You connection with Rivers election too mind you,you cannot escape all these odds.Clemo.
ReplyDeleteThis is the only voice of opposition in Nigeria Fayose cannot be silenced no matter how hard APC tries; Mr Judge you have done well delivering judgement farstalling development.
ReplyDeleteLong live Ekiti
Long live Fayos
PDP will bounceback!!!
Must everything be about APC and PDP, what about people's lives and welfare? All these politicians and political parties don't really care about us, yet we go against and kill ourselves for them. Here, land owners took the Ekiti govt to court and you're shouting APC, what about the people that were displaced from their lands, are they not relevant?
Delete@Ifeoma, You and Fayose are such a slapstick comedian. Intelligent Nigerians are aiming at developing Agriculture, all your brain could "carry" is equating destruction of farm land and plantation to developing Ekiti state. What is Fayose building an airport for now when he should be using the limited resources from federal allocation( he certainly cannot generate revenue) in building access roads to farm settlements and position Ekiti for exportation of farm produce. Destroying farm land for an airport now that Nigeria is struggling to feed her citizens is one decision way off intelligence.
DeleteFayose is a minus to the people of Ekiti State. He has nothing to offer than to be buying panmo from the market. He is an idle governor. Agriculture is what is needed in Ekiti and not your white elephant project meant for the purpose of stashing away Ekiti
ReplyDeleteTo build an airport is good but first dialogue with the owners and think of relocating them and adequate monetary compasation not but revoking their papers and destroying their farm lands
ReplyDelete