The indigenous people of Ejiyan-Ekiti, in Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have asserted ownership of the land originally allocated for the 148 Nigerian Army barracks, rejecting its recent relocation to Ikere-Ekiti.
The community, reacting to the army’s decision to shift the project from Ikoro-Ekiti to Ikere-Ekiti, maintained that the barracks was initially established in Ikoro-Ekiti in 2013—before Ejiyan-Ekiti was granted autonomy.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Ejiyan-Ekiti Development Council, Chief Adepoju Ajibare, and Secretary, Dele Borishade, the community claimed that the families whose lands were acquired for the military project were all of Ejiyan-Ekiti descent.
Community Demands Recognition and Compensation
The people of Ejiyan-Ekiti strongly condemned the relocation and urged the Nigerian Army and government to acknowledge them as the rightful landowners. They further demanded that any compensations due be paid directly to the affected families.
“The military barracks, known as the Nigerian Army Barracks, Ipoti-Ekiti, was sited and approved in 2013, before Ejiyan-Ekiti attained autonomy,” the statement read.
“All the families who originally owned the land where the barracks is located are of Ejiyan-Ekiti descent, making the entire land the rightful property of our community.”
The community lamented that about 75% of the compensation for economic trees and valuables destroyed during the land acquisition remains unpaid. They urged authorities to settle the outstanding payment without further delay to ease the suffering of affected families.
Calls for Government Intervention
Ejiyan-Ekiti residents questioned the rationale behind relocating the military barracks, describing the decision as unjustifiable.
“We strongly oppose the relocation of the 148 Nigerian Army Barracks, Ipoti-Ekiti, to Ikere-Ekiti and demand that authorities reconsider this move,” the statement added.
The community appealed to the Nigerian Army and relevant government agencies to reassess the situation and ensure fairness in their final decision regarding the project’s location.
