There was pandemonium in Osogbo on Thursday as residents of Peter Ajibola and Igbalaye areas of town protested over mud haze brought on by ongoing highway building.
The residents, reporter gathered, had been angered by the mud emanating from the highway diversion on account of ongoing building throughout the city.
reporter recalled that in December, 2023, Governor Ademola Adeleke introduced a N100 billion infrastructural plan which concerned the development of flyovers in several components of tye state together with Osogbo, the state capital.
To additional help the circulate of site visitors, the state authorities introduced diversions inside populated residential areas.
It was learnt that residents, in protest, on Thursday blocked the road which hindered free circulate of site visitors.
Consequently, policemen from Dada Property Police Division stormed the world and arrested some residents.
Chatting with reporter, a resident Funmilayo Ade lamented tha the way in which the federal government goes about with the highway diversion is incorrect.
She revealed that the mud from the highway diversion is beginning to trigger well being points amongst residents as some kids had been now vomitting blood.
“We admire the federal government however the way in which they’re treating us will not be good. We will’t open our outlets once more due to the mud. While you open your mouth to speak, mud will enter into your mouth and nostril .
“That is the explanation why put folks got here out to protests at present.
“The police simply got here now and arrested harmless residents, smashed the telephone of a girl who was simply studying calls and began capturing tear fuel canisters all over the place.
“There was settlement between the resident and the state authorities earlier than the diversion started that they are going to be wetting the highway as a result of mud however it’s not sufficient.”
One other resident, Oyegbade Wahab acknowledged that the mud has began to have an effect on the well being of the residents.
He urged the state authorities to put asphalt non permanent on the highway in order to cut back the mud.
Reacting, the state Commissioner for Data, Kolapo Alimi, acknowledged that the federal government understands what the residents are passing by means of.
Whereas pleading for extra understanding, Alimi added that “the state authorities would look into the complaints of the residents from the suitable quarters”.
“Now that they’ve protested, we are going to see what the federal government can do to alleviate their struggling.
“They need to perceive that it only a non permanent factor and the highway diversion is for developmental function and in improvement, now we have to sacrifice. That not withstanding, the state authorities will ship a delegation to that space to see what will be achieved to ameliorate the struggling of the residents,” he stated.
Contacted the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, acknowledged that she was not conscious of the protest.
