Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on Monday assured the people of the state that no land in the state will be ceded to the Federal Government for the establishment of Ruga settlements.

Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) maintained that nobody coming from outside the state would be allowed to take over the land from them.

The governor who gave the assurance when he paid an early morning visit to the people of Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area said non-indigenes wishing to do business in the state must respect the culture of the indigenous people.

Fayemi told the people whom he visited to commiserate with them over the killing of a farmer identified as Mr. Emmanuel Ilori by suspected herdsmen on Saturday, said non-indigenes must pursue their interest in line with the laws of Ekiti people.

The governor said traditional hunters and security agencies would work together to ensure adequate security for the people, adding that the residents of the state would now witness the deployment of more soldiers, armed policemen and other security agencies.

He said: “Nobody is coming to take our land in Ekiti, the governor of Ekiti State has power over the land of Ekiti and it is the person that the governor gives land in Ekiti that can use the land of Ekiti.

“If there are negative comments being peddled around that some people are coming to take over Ekiti land, it’s a mere hearsay.

“It cannot happen in Ekiti except I am no longer the governor and there is nobody that can be governor in Ekiti that will cede Ekiti land to outsiders because our land is not even enough for us.”