Tension erupted in Aponmu community, Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday as farmers and youths staged a peaceful protest against the alleged invasion and destruction of their farmlands by suspected land grabbers.
The protesters, comprising mostly peasant farmers, marched through their community before proceeding to the Governor’s Office in Akure, displaying placards with inscriptions such as “Stop Destroying Our Farmlands,” “Aponmu Is Not for Sale,” and “Governor, Please Save Our Souls.”
The farmers accused the invaders of forcefully taking over their ancestral lands and destroying food and cash crops worth millions of naira, leaving over 500 farmers without livelihoods.
Speaking to journalists, the community’s spokesperson, Pastor Tope Akinkuade, said the actions of the land grabbers threatened peace and security in Aponmu. He alleged that the encroachers claimed to be working for influential individuals in the state and had used bulldozers to destroy hectares of cassava, cocoa, and oil palm plantations.
Akinkuade further alleged that the community had endured years of intimidation and attacks from those claiming to act on behalf of a traditional institution. He said the villagers had written a “Save Our Soul” letter to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, seeking urgent intervention to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“We are peace-loving people who depend on our farmlands for survival,” Akinkuade said. “These invaders come with security men, destroy our cocoa farms, and sell the land. Those who resist are arrested or harassed. Our patience is being tested.”
He cited previous incidents, including the killing of community leader Emmanuel Ogboriefon and the destruction of cocoa plantations belonging to another farmer, Charles Akinrolayo, who was later detained for resisting the encroachment.
Akinkuade lamented that despite a previous government intervention, the crisis reignited in mid-October when armed policemen escorted surveyors and bulldozers back to clear more farmland.
Responding to the protest, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters, Bola Taiwo, who addressed the demonstrators, appealed for calm and assured them that the government would look into their grievances.
Taiwo commended the farmers for their peaceful conduct and urged them to channel their complaints through the appropriate authorities. He assured them that Governor Aiyedatiwa would ensure a fair and lasting resolution to the land dispute, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to protecting lives, property, and investments across the state.
