Property owners whose buildings were demolished for the Ibadan Circular Road project have raised concerns over administrative, financial and logistical challenges delaying the collection of compensation, as the Oyo State Government begins a fresh verification exercise for affected residents.
The concerns come despite the state government’s announcement on November 9, 2026, that it had disbursed more than N5.35 billion to 578 beneficiaries.
Some affected residents, however, say they are still struggling to access their payments because of documentation problems, delays, omissions from enumeration lists and disputes over eligibility.
Alhaji Adetunji Badmus said several homeowners had their properties demolished before receiving compensation, leaving them without the financial resources to secure alternative accommodation or rebuild.
He said residents in areas such as Oluyole and Ona Ara had complained about delays between the approval of compensation packages and the actual release of funds to beneficiaries.
He cited the N5.813 billion compensation package approved in April 2026, saying the gap between approval and payment had created difficulties for affected property owners.
Another property owner, Mrs Abimbola Lawal, identified documentation and screening requirements, omission from enumeration lists and unverified or missing claimants as some of the major obstacles.
According to her, payments to some beneficiaries had failed or stalled because of discrepancies between the names on their property or screening documents and those registered on their bank accounts.
She said resolving such mismatches required additional administrative follow-up with the relevant state authorities.
Lawal also identified disputes over setback boundaries and eligibility as another source of confusion among affected residents.
She said the state government initially marked a 150-metre setback on either side of the road but later reduced it to 75 metres in densely populated areas following protests by residents.
According to her, the adjustments created uncertainty over which structures qualified for Right of Way compensation.
She also listed the exclusion of unapproved structures and the socioeconomic difficulties residents face while waiting for compensation among the issues affecting claimants.
Lawal explained that, under Nigerian land and planning laws, structures erected without the required building approvals, on drainage channels or on existing government land were generally disqualified from receiving compensation.
Citing community reports by Ido People’s Voice, she said the demolition of homes and small businesses had stripped some residents of their livelihoods and forced them to take on unexpected rental expenses.
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She added that the financial burden made it more difficult for affected property owners to afford transportation and legal costs while pursuing their compensation claims.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has said a verification exercise for the second segment of the Ibadan Circular Road project would pave the way for compensation payments to eligible claimants.
The Executive Assistant on Security to Governor Seyi Makinde, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd), who chairs the verification committee, said the exercise would cover properties along the corridor stretching from Badeku village on the Ife-Ibadan axis to the Moniya-Iseyin Road end.
He urged affected property owners to attend the exercise with the original copies and five photocopies of all relevant documents.
The committee listed the required documents to include a local government identification letter or residence permit for non-Nigerians, survey plan of the property, building or property plan drawings, photographs of the property and land purchase agreement.
Other requirements are a sworn affidavit obtained from a court or the Ministry of Justice, a letter of power of attorney issued through the Ministry of Justice for proxy claims, and five recent passport photographs of the claimant.
Claimants are also required to present their National Identification Number (NIN), five recent passport photographs of their guarantors or sureties, means of identification of the guarantors or sureties, and bank details, including bank name, account number and phone number linked to the account for transaction alerts.
The committee further listed a letter of introduction from the landlords’ association and any other document considered necessary by the monitoring team.
It warned affected property owners against individuals falsely presenting themselves as government officials and offering to process their documentation for a fee.
The committee said: “This is to notify all individuals whose properties were affected by Segment II of the Ibadan Circular Road project that a verification exercise will commence on Monday at the Office of the Executive Assistant on Security to the Governor, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
“The exercise will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a briefing. Affected property owners can verify their names at the Ministry of Lands, the Office of the New Towns and Cities Development Agency on Subuola Road, Agodi GRA, and the Governor’s Office.”
The committee said some fraudsters had been claiming to represent the state government and offering to help property owners arrange the required documents in exchange for payment.
It stressed that neither the committee nor the state government had authorised any individual or representative to provide such services.
The committee advised affected residents to disregard anyone demanding money or offering paid assistance to process their claims, emphasising that the verification exercise was free.“
