A group of farmers in Ondo State, South/West Nigeria are seeking justice before the law courts after the state government sold their farmland.
The farmers, who say they have cultivated over two million cocoa trees, palm trees, yam, cocoayam, maize, tomato, cucumber among other crops, claim that the sale of the land known as the Ondo Forest Reserve has impacted on their livelihoods and imposed both hunger and hardships on them and their families.
It was learnt that the land spanning over 2000 hectares of farmland was rented to the farmers by the state government over 30 years ago for farming.
They farmers are claiming that they have been farming in the various settlements grouped into camps comprising Ijoba, Sete II, Ipade, Ayeleso, Isero, Temidire, Adeleye Itamerin and other sub-camps in Odigbo local government area of the state and have been paying their dues to the state government agencies.
The farmers, stated that the land was sold to a company, ACME Palm Limited and a Certificate of Occupancy had been issued to the buyer, resulting in the loss of livelihoods for thousands of farmers. They alleged that the company is owned by persons within government circles.
After several failed efforts to get the state government reverse the decision, the farmers have taken the matter to court seeking justice and a declaration that the action of the government in selling the land is illegal.
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The farmers in suit number HOR/51/2024, filed by their Counsel, Mr. Tope Temokun, last Tuesday, are seeking the order of an Ondo State High Court nullifying the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued to the company who are sixth defendants in the suit.
The claimants in the suit are: Irewole Muse, Kenneth Osaai, Salami Rafiu, Felix Ayeleso, Adegboyega Sunday, Jimoh Yekini and Ojuade Funminiyi, sueing behalf of themselves and other concerned farmers.
They are also seeking the “consequential order of the Honourable Court, setting aside and nullifying the Certificate of occupancy purportedly issued to the 6th defendant by the first defendant, dated 23rd of July 2021 and registered as No.59 at page 59 in Volume 767 of the Lands Registry of Ondo State and a declaration that the claimants’ rights of possession over the farmlands granted and/or rented out to them by the first 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 LGA 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 first defendant exercisable in accordance with the Forestry Laws of Ondo State and other relevant laws.
“”An order of perpetual injunction restraining the sixth 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 sixth 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 first 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.”
The 1st to 6th defendants in the matter are the Ondo State Government, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the state Ministry of Agriculture, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, the former Chairman Ondo State Agribusiness and Empowerment Centre, Mr Akin Olotu and ACME Palm Limited were listed as 1st to 6th defendants.
