RUGA: Fayemi assures anxious landowners in Ekiti over alleged takeover by ‘outsiders’

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has assured anxious residents of the state that “nobody is coming to take our land,” after the Nigerian government proposed to set up Ruga settlements in some communities.

Governor Fayemi who was responding to mounting concerns over claims that “outsiders” were eyeing the southwestern state for settlement said non-indigenes wishing to do business in the state must respect the culture of their hosts and their interests in line with the law of the land.

The governor who made the remarks on Monday when he paid an early morning visit to the people of Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area said people of the state will witness deployment of more soldiers, armed policemen and other security agencies so that they can be safe at all times.

“Nobody is coming to take our land in Ekiti; the governor of Ekiti State has power over the land of Ekiti and it is the person that the governor gives land in Ekiti that can use the land of Ekiti,” Fayemi stated.

“If there are negative comments being peddled around that some people are coming to take over Ekiti land, take over Orin land, take over Ido land, it’s a mere hearsay.

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“It cannot happen in Ekiti except I am no longer the governor of Ekiti State and there is nobody that can be governor in Ekiti that will cede Ekiti land to outsiders because our land is not even enough for us.

“Adequate security of our people is what concerns me most in Ekiti and Nigeria and I want our people to ignore lies and falsehood some individuals are spreading around.

“There is nobody that will be governor in Ekiti that will allow outsiders to take over our communities from the people here or say that people coming from elsewhere should come and take over Ekiti (land).

“Those saying these are only playing politics with the matter. This is not politics, security is an issue that concerns all of us.

“Some individuals have been spreading baseless rumours to cause disaffection because they are no longer in power and it is their wish that Ekiti should be consumed by anarchy.”

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