Crisis is brewing in the Ikoya community in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, as residents on Wednesday protested against alleged arrest of some community members over land acquisition by the Okitipupa Oil Palm Company.

The protesters during a peaceful rally in Ikoya accused OOPC management and the police of “unjust arrest and detention” of some members of the community.

The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as: “OOPPlc, Obey Supreme Court Judgment and Quit Our Land,’ “Enough of Police Harassment and Intimidation,” “Free Three Ikales and Release Your Landlord Unconditionally,” among others.

Some of the protesters during an interview with journalists demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the arrested members of the community by the police.

They alleged that the police arrested Bose Loyinmi-Ogunlowo, Rachael Akinirun and Orimisan Adelokiki, the national leader of Ikale Supreme Civil Right Council, over a land dispute with OOPC.

They also demanded the eviction of OOPC from their land, alleging that the company had no valid agreement with the community before acquiring the oil palm plantation.

They presented a Supreme Court judgment of 1988 as evidence, which they claimed ruled that OOPC should negotiate a valid agreement with the community or vacate the land.

They, however, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to wade into the issue as a matter of urgency before it escalated.

A human rights activist, Feyi Ekundayo, told journalists that Ikoya people are law-abiding citizens but would not let anyone unlawfully take the possession of their land under any guise.

“We will not tolerate the acquisition of our land under any guise. We’re peace-loving people but we will resist further harassment and intimidation of our people over our lawful property. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of our people arrested and detained by the police, because an injustice to one is injustice to all,” Ekundayo said.

Oluyemi Akinirun, Coordinator of the Ikale Supreme Civil Right Council also alleged that the OOPC acquired Ikoya Oil Palm plantation unlawfully, saying the company didn’t have any valid agreement with the community.

Mr Akinirun stated, “What we’re asking for is very simple, OOPC should present any agreement for the acquisition of our land, but they refused and began harassing and intimidating our leaders, even my wife, Rachael, was arrested over the matter.

“We have a 1988 Supreme Court judgment which ruled that OOPC should have proper agreement with us or vacate our plantation, this is our evidence, and we will not rest on our laurels over this matter,” Mr Akinirun said.

Another youth leader, Olusola Adenodi, appealed to the governor to step into the matter to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

Reacting to the protest, the state police spokesman, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade said that those arrested had been arraigned and remanded on the order of the court.

(NAN)