By Iyabo Adebisi

Oyo State Housing Corporation has conducted a fact-finding mission to the Owode Housing Estate Phase II, Apata, Ibadan, urging those yet to develop their allotted lands in the estate to do so in order to avoid losing such lands.

This is sequel to an outcry by residents over insecurity and constant attacks by men of the underworld using the area as a hideout.

Residents of Owode Estate Phase II had earlier sent a Save Our Soul message to the Corporation, decrying the spate of insecurity in the estate, noting that the massive forest in the estate had become a criminal hideout and that the few residents, who had developed the plots,  could not sleep with their two eyes closed.

Speaking shortly after conducting newsmen round the wide expanse of land, chairman of the Oyo State Housing Corporation, Mr Demola Omotosho, pointed out that though the estate was inaugurated close to 50 years ago, only about 20 per cent of it had been developed.

He noted that the fact-finding mission to the estate with newsmen became imperative following protests from residents, who reported cases of burglary, rape, and violent attacks.

Mr Omotosho pointed out that a recent incident involving a 76-year-old man who was brutally attacked, triggered the latest round of protests from residents, who had developed their plots but were made to live at the mercy of allottees, who failed to develop theirs and whose lands have become criminal hideouts.

He decried that despite the estate having been established in the 70s, there are close to 1,000 hectares of undeveloped lands.

Mr Omotosho maintained that in order to curb the insecurity in the axis, the state government had called for a Public-Private Partnership to transform the Owode Phase II into a residential district.

Assuring residents that significant development would take place between now and June 2026, Omotosho noted that the Corporation would put up a Police Post, an Amotekun security base and also install solar-powered streetlights across the estate.

He added that similar interventions are underway in Ajoda New Town, where the first batch of 1,000 housing units are expected to be completed and delivered by June next year.

He declared that the Corporation would revoke the undeveloped plots, while those who are ready to develop immediately should approach the Corporation for a discussion, explaining that the move to revoke is backed by the Oyo State Housing Corporation Law of 2001, which stipulates “that any plot left undeveloped for more than two years, or any allocation not fully paid for within twelve months, is automatically revoked.

Earlier, a representative of the residents of Owode Estate Phase II, Mr Idowu Aladejobi, said that residents of the estate had, indeed, sent a Save Our Soul to the Oyo State Housing Corporation, noting that criminals frequently hid in the numerous undeveloped plots around the estate, launching attacks on residents both day and night.

According to him, the abandoned lands have become danger zones and that it took repeated complaints to get the attention of the Housing Corporation to identify owners of the undeveloped plots.

Other residents, who spoke with newsmen, expressed hope that the inspection and promises made by the Oyo State Housing Corporation would mark the beginning of meaningful action to secure and fully develop the estate.