Over 10,000 farmers from the Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo local government area of Ondo state, on Tuesday, converged on Akure, the state capital, protesting over the alleged sales of over two thousand hectares of their farmlands to a private company by the state government.
Protesting over the plan of their forceful eviction by the private company, Acme Palms Limited, who purportedly purchased the two thousand hectares from the government reserves for the cultivation of oil palm trees, the farmers frowned over the destruction of their farms.
The farmers who raised the alarm expressed disbelief over the sales of the government reserves, said the development was strange, saying “it is in violation of the Forestry laws of Ondo state and other relevant laws, is illegal, null, and void and of no effect”
According to them, the government can only grant permission or licence to people to log or farm in the forest but said the forest reserve land could not be sold outright to private investors.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved farmers, the Chairman of the Oluwa Forest Reserve farmers, Abayomi Rotimi Isinleye, noted that the development is an invitation to food insecurity in the state, saying farming activities would be grounded, causing undue hardship on the lives of many who depended on farming to eke a living.
According to him, many of the tree crops planted by the farmers had been destroyed by the Acme Palms who invaded the Reserve forest, armed with the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued by the Ondo state government, dated July 23, 2021, registered as No. 59 at page 59 in volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo state.
He however, called on the state government to come out and make clarification, urging the government to come to the aid of the farmers, saying “driving us out of our farms where we contribute to the development of the state will encourage criminal activities in the state.
“Many of our members have lost their lives following the destruction of their farms and the government should encourage us towards ensuring food security in the state.
“We have written and called on the state governor to investigate our findings but there was no response or action to our knowledge till date”
Also speaking, the solicitor to the farmers, Tope Temokun, said the farmers had written the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to inform him on the development.
The lawyer alleged that some government officials are involved in the sales of government reserve forest land to private investors, saying these government officials compromise public interest and the interest of the people of the state.
He disclosed that the farmers had dragged the state government and some government officials before the High Court in Akure over the sales of the reserve forest.
According to Temokun, the claimants’ claim include “That in 2021 when Acme Palms Limited bought about 2000.482 hectares of the Ondo State Government forest reserve land and obtained a Ceritificate Of Occupancy.
“Curiously, wife of a government official was a shareholder and Director of the Acme Palms Limited, the same company that bought about 2000.482 hectares of the Ondo State Government forest reserve land and obtained a Ceritificate Of Occupancy, while the government official is the head of government agency responsible for management of the forest reserve lands of the Ondo State Government.
“The revealed implication of the above discovery is that these public office holders veiled under registered companies are the ones forming business alliances and buying up government forest reserve land under their control for their private business.
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“They are using the instrumentality of their various public offices to perfect this private interest arrangement and also relying on the offices held to get financial resources to pursue their private business interest.
“These discoveries do not only undermine the integrity of the purported sale of government property and using the influence of public office to perfect documentation of such sale but discloses apparent conflict of interest which raises serious legal and ethical concerns, thereby eroding public trust in government processes and decisions”
He, however, disclosed that the farmers decided to approach the court when they were being threatened by the private investors and asked from the Court as follows:
“A declaration that the 1st defendant’s purported sale to the 6th defendant of the land measuring 2000.482 hectares of the Government forest reserve land within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State and the issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State, in violation of the Forestry Laws of Ondo State and other relevant laws, is illegal, null and void and of no effect.
“A consequential order of the Court, setting aside and nullifying the Certificate of Occupancy purportedly issued to the 6th defendant by the 1st defendant, dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State.
i”A declaration that the claimants’ rights of possession over the farmlands granted and/or rented out to them by the 1st defendant covering the camps of Ijoba, Sete II, Ipade, Ayeleso, Isero, Temidire and Adeleye Itamerin and their sub-camps, within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State and covering the land measuring 2000.482 hectares of the Government forest reserve land within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State covered by the Certificate of Occupancy dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State, still subsists, subject only to the lawful determination of the Claimants’ rights of possession and/or lawful exercise of the powers vested on the 1st defendant exercisable in accordance with the Forestry Laws of Ondo State and other relevant laws.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 6th Defendant and its privies or agents, from further exercising any ownership or possessory rights over the land measuring 2000.482 hectares of the Government forest reserve land in Ondo State pursuant to the Certificate of Occupancy dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 6th Defendant and its privies or agents, from forcefully evicting the claimants or grading the Claimants’ crops or uprooting the Claimants’ crops or doing anything adverse to the claimants’ right of possession over the land granted and/or rented out to the claimants by the 1st defendant covering the camps of Ijoba, Sete II, Ipade, Ayeleso, Isero, Temidire and Adeleye Itamerin and their sub-camps, within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State and covering the land measuring 2000.482 hectares of the Government forest reserve land within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State covered by the Certificate of Occupancy dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State”
