Aggrieved farmers from five communities in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest at the Governor’s Office in Akure over the alleged illegal detention of two traditional rulers and the forceful takeover of their ancestral lands.
The protesters, who came from Italemikan, Abusoro, Ateru, Igbomowo, and Uloko Agbonden communities, carried placards with inscriptions such as “Free Our Obas Now,” “We Say No to Land Grabbing,” and “We Want Justice for Our Communities.”
Speaking on behalf of the group, their spokesperson, Mr Kokuma Akinwande, accused a powerful land grabber of using security operatives and armed men to intimidate villagers and unlawfully arrest anyone who resisted encroachment on their farmlands.
According to him, the two monarchs; the Olu of Igba, Oba Shina Olayele, and the Olu of Uloko Agbonden, HRH Moses Apalara, were allegedly framed and remanded in prison through the influence of the same individual.
“We are here because of a notorious land grabber who suddenly appeared, claiming ownership of all lands stretching from Ita Ila to Oboto. We have never known or seen him before.
“Each time we question his authority, he brings police officers to arrest us. They detain us overnight and take us to court the next day. He’s using intimidation and force to silence our people,” Akinwande said.
He alleged that the two traditional rulers were unjustly detained because they stood firm in protecting their community lands.
“Our two Obas are in prison today simply because they refused to hand over our lands to strangers. We are appealing to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to intervene and ensure their immediate release,” he added.
Another protester, identified as Mr Ajibola, said the affected communities had earlier submitted petitions to the governor, the Chief Judge, and the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly but received no response.
“We don’t want violence in our communities. That is why we came peacefully to the Governor’s Office. We just want justice and the release of our Obas,” he said.
The protesters called on the state government to investigate the alleged land grabbing, intimidation, and unlawful arrests.
When contacted, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that the government was aware of the issue and assured that steps were being taken to resolve the dispute.
