The organisation debunked the studies at a press convention on Thursday the place Alhaji Kabiru Ajayi, the Senior Particular Assistant to Hadjia Hafsat Tafawa-Balewa Oduwole , Chairman of the Firm’s Board of Administrators clarified that basically the Chinese language companions in Free Commerce Zone don’t have anything to do with the difficulty of land purchases nor acquisition, so can’t be accused of forceful takeover of land.
He additional defined that the land in query is taken from the 8000 hectares acquired for the Ogun Property Funding Firm, OPIC, by the State Authorities over 20 years in the past and 2000.407 hectares given to the Ogun-Guadong Free Commerce Zone as the federal government’s fairness contribution within the partnership with China Africa Funding FZ Firm, whereas additionally presenting related paperwork together with the ‘C of O’ to again his claims.
Earlier on Saturday, April 5, a gaggle of protesters underneath the aigies of Involved Land House owners Affiliation led by one Honourable Gbadebo Ajose, bearing placards, expressed their grievances in opposition to Chinese language corporations working within the Free Commerce Zone space of encroachment of their land, utilizing armed Cell Policemen, Nigeria Military, DSS, Armed thugs and all types of intimidations to forcefully takeover lands from them past what was formally allotted them in 2007.
The protesters claimed that the Chinese language Firms have destroyed their homes, cottage industries, livestock farms, farmlands, faculties, non secular locations and different buildings within the means of the forceful acquisition.
The protesters added that in 2007, a delegation of Ogun State Authorities led by the then deputy Governor, Alihaja Salimot Badiru visited Igbesa Neighborhood on the Oba’s Palace to enchantment to the Neighborhood to provide a part of their land to the State for citing the Ogun Guadong Free Commerce Zone, saying after an preliminary resistance and consultations with households they marked and gave out 250 hectares, whereas households in Ejila Awori gave out 398.489 Hectares to the Ogun State Authorities.
Alhaji Kabir in response to this allegation challenged the Journalists, saying; “you’ll want to ask the protesters to current the ‘C of O’ of the 650 hectares of land that they claimed was given to the State Authorities and I can let you know they’d not be capable to present it, as a result of it’s a fabrication from the figment of their creativeness.”
To help his assertions, Kabir offered heads of the varied households who the protesters declare they represented and so they took turns to sentence the protesters as a result of they weren’t representing them however their egocentric pursuits
The Jamiu Ajidaba, Oloriebi of Iludofin, who heads the household of Hon. Gbadebo, the Chief agitator stated, “Gbadebo Ajose must be ignored as a result of he isn’t representing our curiosity, in 2007, the federal government enumerated these affected by the acquisition of the 2000.407 hectares of land and in 2008 paid compensation to those who offered themselves. Apart this the Firm working within the FTZ have being concerned with a number of empowerment programmes and helpful tasks for the neighborhood.”
After the press convention, OGFTZ additionally issued a rejoinder on the Media Studies that reads partially; “Our consideration has been drawn to a deceptive and malicious publication at present circulating on-line, riddled with falsehoods, distortions, and outright misinformation. The content material shouldn’t be solely baseless however seems to be a deliberate try and incite unrest and discredit the operations of the Ogun-Guangdong Free Commerce Zone, Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ogun-Guangdong Free Commerce Zone is a landmark joint funding initiative between the Ogun State Authorities and Chinese language Authorities (Guangdong Province). The land in query was acquired a very long time in the past by the Ogun State authorities and out of which 2000.407 hectares of the acquired land was allotted to Ogun Guangdong Free Commerce Zone. Ogun State Authorities issued a Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) instantly after the allocation. The land allotted by the Authorities is the fairness contribution of the Ogun State authorities being one of many main stakeholders and shareholder of Ogun Guangdong Free Commerce Zone.
“The Zone was formally commissioned in 2008 underneath the administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and since then, a number of overseas and native enterprises have commenced operations inside it.
“Most of those households have accepted due compensation and vacated the land, out of respect for the federal government allocation.
Nevertheless, the person credited with making the inflammatory claims within the publication has a historical past of inciting protests and unrest inside the Igbesa Neighborhood. He doesn’t signify the pursuits of the native communities and isn’t acknowledged as a spokesperson.
“Somewhat, he’s persona non grata on this matter, having being part of an illegal assault on officers of the Ogun State Bureau of Lands, an incident through which a senior workers member (Surveyor) sustained critical accidents and properties belonging to Ogun Guangdong Free Commerce Zone have been vandalized in 2023.” The rejoinder reads.
