Thursday, July 16, 2026

Police arraign farmer, two sons over malicious damage of economic trees 

The defendants, whose addresses were not given, are charged with forceful entry, breach of peace, assault, malicious damage and threat to life.

• May 10, 2024
Court room
Courtroom used to tell the story

A farmer, Onaye Ikutimumi, and his two sons, Ojosimi Ikutimumi, 28, and Orimisi, 35, were on Friday arraigned in an Okitipupa chief magistrates’ court in Ondo State over alleged malicious damage to economy trees worth N16.5 million.

The defendants, whose addresses were not given, are charged with forceful entry, breach of peace, assault, malicious damage and threat to life.

The police prosecutor, ASP Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the defendants conspired to commit breach of peace and malicious damage on October 11, 2023, around 11:40 a.m. at Akeun farmland in Ode-Aye, Okitipupa magisterial district.

Mr Orogbemi said the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by forcefully entering the farmland belonging to Allen Abayomi over an undisclosed dispute.

The prosecution said the defendants unlawfully assaulted the complainant by beating him up and threatened to kill him with a cutlass if he dare stopped them from damaging some economy trees.

He added that the defendants maliciously damaged 80 timber trees worth N4.5 million and uprooted 100 young palm trees worth N12 million, bringing the total cost to N16.5 million, the complainant’s property.

Mr Orogbemi said the offence is punishable under sections 517, 81, 86, 355, and 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap.37, Vol. 1, Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Chief Magistrate Cletus Ojuola admitted the defendants to N200,000 bail each and two sureties each in like sums.

He added that the sureties must be residents within the court’s jurisdiction and show and present evidence of two years’ tax payments made to the state government.

Mr Ojuola adjourned the case until May 17 for further hearing. 

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Economy

Jack-Rich, Trump seek closer U.S.-Nigeria ties

Mr Trump endorsed Mr Jack-Rich’s call for closer engagement, saying Africa possesses extraordinary economic potential that should not be overlooked by the U.S.

Economy

Abia, Enugu collaborate to train 150,000 tech talent

Abia and Enugu have called for stronger regional collaboration to train 150,000 tech talents and incubate 3,000 startups across Nigeria.

States

Museum unveils memorial sculpture to immortalise Onyeama N’Eke

The National Museum of Unity, Enugu, on Wednesday unveiled a memorial sculpture and a permanent exhibition gallery in honour of Onyeama N’Eke.

Wife of Kwara State governor, Olufolake AbdulRazaq

Health

Kwara assembly backs malaria elimination

The Kwara House of Assembly has reaffirmed support for efforts to eradicate malaria and expand healthcare infrastructure across the state.

Aminu Tambuwal

NationWide

Tambuwal seeks review of housing agencies, better funding for FMBN

Mr Tambuwal called for stronger funding for the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and a review of government housing policies.

Released Oyo hostages

States

Oyo Terrorists: Senate honours slain soldiers, teachers with N50 million donation

Senate president Godwill Akpabio, who gave the approval during the plenary on Wednesday, stated that each of the five bereaved families would receive N10 million.