Residents of some communities in the oil rich Ilaje council areas of Ondo State have protested the alleged delay in the disbursement of a N400 million relief fund approved by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for victims of recent violence in the area by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).

They include residents of Obe Nla, Obe Adun and Obe Jedo communities.

The protesters, who blocked the entrance of the commission’s headquarters in Akure, the state capital locked its gate and prevented staff from exiting the premises.

They insisting that their action was aimed at drawing government attention to what they described as “unjustifiable suffering” of victims months after the incident.

Their spokesperson, Omosohanne Obadiah, said that the affected communities were attacked and houses were vandalised, residents assaulted and women allegedly molested.

Obadiah said the Ondo State government, intervened by approving and ordering the released N400 million to the intervention agency in November 2025 to compensate verified victims, following the appeal by Ilaje Omuro Worldwide Connect to the state governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa

He however lamented that the fund had allegedly not reached those affected.

According to him “We are deeply concerned and disappointed that four months after the release of this fund, victims are still suffering.

“This money was approved to bring relief, yet families cannot afford food, clothing or shelter. I personally lost a bakery and other properties to the incident” he said.

According to him, the delay has worsened poverty in the communities and eroded trust in government interventions meant to cushion the impact of security-related crises.

The protesters demanded the immediate release of the N400 million to all verified victims, a transparent investigation into the handling of the fund, and urgent intervention by the Ondo State Government to prevent a recurrence.

Many of the victims narrated their ordeals during the protest.

They recounted how their attackers allegedly stormed the communities, leaving residents traumatised and homeless.

Another protester, Precilia Omogbemi, said no palliative or form of assistance had been given to victims since the incident occurred.

Also speaking, Mrs. Oluwakemi, who said she lost two houses during the attacks, vowed that the protesters would not leave the premises of the commission until concrete steps were taken to address their plight.

Addressing the protesters, Abike Bayo-Ilawole, Secretary of OSOPADEC, appealed for calm and assured them that the commission was working towards a transparent disbursement process.

Ilawole said “Yes, money has been approved for the victims, and the fund is not the issue. What we are trying to do is to put the right logistics in place so that the right people benefit.”

She explained that the commission was fine-tuning a committee to properly identify victims and assess the extent of losses, noting that some residents lost houses, boats and fishing equipment.

“We want to go back to the communities to verify who lost what. Some lost houses, others lost boats and engines. Without clear data, distribution will be problematic,” she added.

The Secretary noted that officials of the commission would visit the affected communities by Monday for proper identification.

Ilawole assured them “that if the exercise failed to hold, the protesters were free to return. (Vanguard)

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