Unhappy farmers from five communities in the Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State held a peaceful protest at the Governor’s Office in Akure on Tuesday. They were protesting the alleged illegal imprisonment of two traditional rulers and the forced seizure of their ancestral farmlands.
The demonstrators, who came from the communities of Italemikan, Abusoro, Ateru, Igbomowo, and Uloko Agbonden, carried signs with slogans like “Free Our Obas Now,” “We Say No to Land Grabbing,” and “We Want Justice for Our Communities.”
Speaking for the group, their spokesperson, Mr. Kokuma Akinwande, claimed that a powerful land grabber is using security personnel and armed men to scare villagers and wrongfully arrest anyone who opposes the invasion of their farmlands.
He alleged that the two monarchs, the Olu of Igba, Oba Shina Olayele, and the Olu of Uloko Agbonden, HRH Moses Apalara, were unjustly framed and jailed due to the influence of this same individual.
“We are here because of a known land grabber who suddenly appeared, claiming ownership of all properties from Ita Ila to Oboto. We have never known or seen him before,” Akinwande stated.
“Every time we challenge his authority, he brings police officers to arrest us. They keep us overnight and take us to court the following day. He is using fear and force to quiet our people,” he added.
He asserted that the two traditional rulers were unfairly imprisoned because they firmly defended their community lands.
He concluded, “Our two Obas are in prison today just because they refused to give our lands to outsiders. We are pleading with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to step in and ensure their immediate release.”
Another protester, identified as Mr. Ajibola, mentioned that the affected communities had previously sent formal complaints to the governor, the Chief Judge, and the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly but received no reply.
“We do not want violence in our communities. That is why we came peacefully to the Governor’s Office. We simply want fairness and the freedom of our Obas,” he said.
The protesters demanded that the state government look into the claims of illegal land acquisition, threats, and wrongful arrests.
When reached for comment, an official from the Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that the government is aware of the situation and assured that action is being taken to resolve the disagreement.
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