FECA Provost raises alarm over continuous attacks by land grabbers

 The Provost of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, FECA, Dr. Akinyemi Fadiyimu has expressed concern over the persistent attacks and harassment targeting both students and staff of the institution by land grabbers.

Fadiyimu revealed that the college’s land was under serious threat, with the possibility of losing three-quarters of its territory if the court ruled in favour of the claimants who had initiated legal actions against the institution.

During a visit by leaders of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, the Provost disclosed that the college was currently facing five different litigations from individuals laying claim to its land.

This worrisome situation has created a significant security risk for students, leading to a disruptive learning environment within the institution, he said.

Fadiyimu emphasised the urgent need to educate the public about the college’s requirement for a vast expanse of land to effectively carry out its operations.

He further explained that FECA, being a specialized institution focusing on agricultural education, research, and development, relies heavily on its land resources to provide practical experiences and training to its students.

Apart from the detrimental impact of attacks by land grabbers, the Provost also lamented the adverse consequences resulting from the removal of Colleges of Education from benefiting from Tertiary Education Fund, TETFUND, which he said has caused “serious infrastructural deficit in the institution.”

According to him, “Our greatest threat here is the issue of land grabbing. Land grabbers want to forcefully encroach on our land.

“We are facing five litigations from people who are trying to lay claim to this college. On several fronts, different persons are laying claim to our land. The issues are so serious.

“If perchance we should lose those cases, the land available to this college will be reduced by three quarters. Only one quarter will be left for us to operate. They come in all the time to attack our staff and students. It is a lot of security risk for staff and students.

“The location of the college is attractive to land speculators. They should leave us alone to develop and be able to serve the society.”