Outsiders Won’t Take Our Land- Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi Says Amidst Ruga Controversy

Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, says outsiders will not take over lands in Ekiti as long as he is in charge of the state. Fayemi made this known amidst the controversy generated following the Federal government’s decision to take parcels of land from the 36 states in the Federation to establish Fulani herdsmen settlement known as Ruga.

Speaking during a condolence visit to Orin-Ekiti where a 65-year-old hunter, Emmanuel Ilori, was shot dead by suspected herdsmen over the weekend, the governor said the land in the state is not even enough for its indigines. He asked non-indigenes wishing to engage in businesses in the state to respect the culture of the people and pursue their interest in line with the laws of the land.

“Nobody is coming to take our land in Ekiti. The governor of Ekiti state has  the 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.

If there are negative comments being peddled around that some people are coming to take over Ekiti land, it’s mere hearsay. 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 the 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.” he said