Cocoa farmers, whose farmlands were destroyed in the Odigbo council area, have cried out to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu for help following an alleged attack by armed guardsmen reportedly sent by private firm SAO Agro-Allied Service Limited. 

The farmers were dislodged from their farmland by the private firm collaborating with the Ondo government. 

The farmers, mostly settlers at Temidire, Adeleye, Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso, Isero and other sub-camps within the Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo, on Wednesday, said about five armed guards with local vigilante group uniforms stormed the settlement in motorbikes, shooting sporadically. 

Chairman of the farmers, Rotimi Abayomi Isinleye, who spoke to journalists in Akure, explained that the shooting occurred after the private firm came to the farm with graders and bulldozers, destroying crops despite a court order by the Ore Division of the Ondo State High Court against such action. 

“But it was surprising when they brought in their caterpillars and armed security men from the vigilante group to continue their destruction on our plantations without any substituting court order to our own,” stated Mr Isinleye. “They were shooting directly at us and destroying our camps and farms in flagrant violation of the court order.  

Mr Isinleye added, “They came in vigilante uniform, telling us that they were working under the instruction of SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited, but we were able to repel them. We seized two guns from them and their motorbike, too. We have taken the seized guns to the police area commander and we are crying out loud to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to save us from this. We have been farming here for a long time and there is nowhere for us to go now.” 

The secretary of the aggrieved farmers, Olugbemi Omolewa, lamented the continued destruction of their farmlands by the private firm. 

“We are crying out to the world to save our souls. Governor Akeredolu should intervene in this matter. They said the government had told them to dislodge us by all means and take possession since they have ceded the forest to them,” Mr Omolewa added. 

Meanwhile, the farmers have petitioned the police and Mr Akeredolu over the latest attack.

In the petition by their lawyer, Tope Temokun, the farmers said they had filed a case in court in suit number HOR/14/2023, Abayomi Rotimi Isinleye and others Vs Ondo state government and others. 

“And upon the application moved by their counsel on the 2nd of May 2023, the Ondo State High Court at Ore Judicial Division sitting in Ondo, Ondo State, presided over by Justice Aderemi Adegoroye, granted an interim injunction, restraining the Ondo State Government and SAO AGRO-ALLIED SERVICES LIMITED, among others, from further grading or continuing to grade Our Clients’ Cocoa plantations and farmlands at Temidire, Adeleye, Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso and that sub-camps within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) in Odigbo, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, the subject matter of the suit pending before the court,” stated the petition.

It added, “We write to you to report this incident formally to your office, to save the state from this anarchy of profit-drive by a private company, which has shown over desperation in dislodging the farmers from their farmlands at all cost, and with arms, in disregard of the order of court and pendency of suit.”

When contacted, Akin Olotu, the senior special assistant on agriculture and agribusiness to the governor, could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the police in Ondo, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, confirmed the attack on the farm to Peoples Gazette.

“Yes, the farmers brought the seized barrel guns and bullets to the Police Area Command, including one of the suspects they caught during the shooting at the farm,” Ms Odunlami-Omisanya said.

She, however, added that the SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited said the person brought to the command by the farmers was its staff in the security department.

“But investigation has started on the matter,” the police officer added.

Peoples Gazette could not immediately reach the private firm for comments.