According to the farmers, the state government sold their farmland to SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited, a private firm, without their consent. They expressed their disappointment, noting that they had been diligently paying their dues to the government for the land. Rotimi Abayomi Isinleye, Chairman of the aggrieved farmers, shared that the private firm, along with operatives of the Amotekun Corps and hired thugs, forcefully invaded their farmland and used caterpillars to destroy their cocoa and oil palm farms.
Despite a court order prohibiting further destruction, the private firm continues to raze the plantations, which span several hectares of land. The estimated value of the farm produce destroyed thus far amounts to over 500 million Naira. The impact on the farmers has been severe, with many falling ill, and tragically, one farmer losing their life due to the shock caused by the loss of their farmland.
In response to the farmers' accusations, Akin Olotu, Senior Special Assistant on Agric and Agribusiness to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, defended the government's actions. He claimed that the farmland, classified as a forest reserve, had been allocated to SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited for the cultivation of oil palm as part of a project supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Olotu further stated that the government took steps to remove the farmers from the land due to the damage they had caused to the cocoa business in the state and the security threats posed by their activities.
Unsatisfied with the government's response, the farmers, represented by their lawyer, Barrister Tope Temokun, resorted to legal action. They filed a case against the state government, the Attorney General of the State, the Ministry of Agriculture, and SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited. On May 2, 2023, the court granted an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, including the private firm, from further grading the farmers' plantations.
Despite the court order, the private firm, allegedly with the support of the government, continued to destroy the farmland, employing soldiers, Amotekun Corps officials, and miscreants to intimidate and attack the farmers. Rotimi Abayomi Isinleye revealed that SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited, backed by security agencies, disregarded the court order and continued their destructive activities. The farmers, in their desperation, reached out to influential figures in the South-West, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, seeking intervention.
Various well-meaning Nigerians have already expressed their concerns and intervened in the matter. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, has made representations and delegations to the governor of Ondo State, urging him to intervene and ensure that due process is followed. However, SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited persists in destroying the farmlands, seemingly protected by government force and state apparatus, in flagrant disobedience of the court order.
The plight of the aggrieved farmers highlights the challenges faced by small-scale agricultural producers and the need for fair and transparent land allocation processes. The destruction of their farmlands not only jeopardises their livelihoods but also poses a threat to food security in the region. As the legal battle continues, the farmers hope for a resolution that will bring justice and enable them to reclaim their livelihoods and contribute to the agricultural prosperity of the state.