Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has slammed protesting farmers in Ore in Odigbo local government area of the state for going beyond the area allocated for farming by the state government.
The governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, said it was the farmers who encroached on government land and not the company to a specific area was allocated.
Some farmers had staged a protest against an alleged forceful takeover of their farms at the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state by a private firm.
The aggrieved farmers shut down the Lagos/Ore expressway, lamenting that their plantations were being destroyed by the firm SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited in collaboration with the state government.
However, the governor, in a statement titled “Setting The Record Straight on Cocoa Farmers’ Protest and Role of Government Officials,” said there was a misrepresentation of facts on the incident over the ownership of the reserve area.
Adeniyan said the state government reaffirms its commitment to the welfare of genuine farmers and the responsible, equitable, and legal use of only declassified degraded forest reserves for agricultural purposes.
The government said, “Many of the aggrieved farmers currently occupying parts of the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) have breached existing agreements and exceeded designated land allocation parameters.”
Pointedly, the government said some farmers have encroached into restricted forest zones without authorization, while others have failed to comply with the agreed land use terms, posing serious environmental and security concerns.
Contrary to the claims of contempt for court injunctions, Adeniyan said the government and all related agencies; public and private, have acted strictly within the framework of the law.
According to him, where litigations are ongoing, every step taken has been guided by legal counsel, verified surveys, and documented notifications saying no action has been taken arbitrarily.
Defending the action of the government appointee, Adeniyan said “Hon. Akinsola, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, is a government appointee overseeing agribusiness in the state. His role involves the strategic management of large-scale commercial agriculture investors granted concessions to develop extensive hectares of land, an effort that is expected to create thousands of jobs and boost the state’s revenue. Claims suggesting that he is involved in land grabbing are not only false but politically driven and completely at variance with the facts.
“It is equally important to clarify that Mr. Ayo Sotinrin is the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, a federal government institution. Allegations implying that he is using a private firm to seize farmlands are malicious, unfounded, and a clear attempt at character assassination.
“SAO Agro-Allied Services, on its part, has been operating under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement approved by the state since 2021. The firm’s acquisition and development of agro-industrial zones have followed due process and are under full government oversight. None of its activities involves the unlawful takeover of legally secured farms.”
Adeniyan said Governor Aiyedatiwa did not at any time, whether during electioneering or otherwise, promise to support illegal occupants of government land or forest reserves.
His words ” This administration remains committed to legal, inclusive, and forward-looking agricultural development. An investigation is ongoing to identify genuine farmers with verifiable claims, separate from speculators and unlawful occupants.
“The Governor remains open to dialogue with all stakeholders and is determined to protect livelihoods without compromising the rule of law.
“The Ondo State Government, therefore, calls on members of the public, particularly the media, to seek proper clarification before publishing one-sided or misleading reports. This administration remains committed to transparency, environmental sustainability, and the growth of agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy.”
