Hundreds of farmers from the Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State, brought traffic to a standstill on the Lagos-Ore Expressway, protesting the alleged forceful eviction from their farmlands by SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited. The company, reportedly owned by Ayo Sotinrin, the newly appointed Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) by President Bola Tinubu, is accused of collaborating with the Ondo State government to displace over 15,000 farmers, despite a court injunction barring such actions. The protest, marked by placards with inscriptions like “Ayo Sotinrin Is Using Govt Power On Poor Farmers” and “Rotimi Wemimo Must Go,” highlighted the farmers’ frustration with what they describe as a state-backed land grab.
Musafiu Irewolede, speaking for the farmers, condemned SAO Agro’s actions as illegal, noting that the company claimed to have purchased 10,000 hectares of farmland from the state government. “Since 2019, we have been paying N20,000 per rope to farm here, and we secured a court injunction on March 24, 2025, stopping the destruction of our cocoa farms,” Irewolede said. He accused Sotinrin and Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture, Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola, of flouting the Ondo State High Court’s order by deploying bulldozers to raze plantations. The farmers, who have paid levies for rent, security, and identity cards for over 20 years, say the evictions threaten their livelihoods and those of their families.
Felix Adeniyi, another farmer, emphasized the scale of the crisis, estimating that 15,000 farmers face displacement. “This farmland is our lifeblood. We demand Governor Aiyedatiwa remove Wemimo Akinsola, who serves private interests, not the state’s,” Adeniyi declared. The farmers also called for Sotinrin’s resignation from the BOA, citing a conflict of interest, and urged President Tinubu to intervene. Female farmers like Omoniyi Nurat added that they were coerced into payments for farmhouses and depots, only to face eviction, with some reporting harassment by soldiers accompanying SAO Agro’s agents.
Sotinrin denied the allegations, asserting that SAO Agro legally acquired the land, paid all fees, and holds a Certificate of Occupancy. He claimed the company offered 3,000 hectares and compensation to the farmers, who instead used the funds for legal battles. However, the farmers’ legal team, led by Tope Temokun, insists SAO Agro’s actions violate a March 2025 High Court injunction (Suit No. HOR/14/2023) and has filed contempt proceedings against the company’s CEO. The farmers’ petition to Aiyedatiwa, alleging Akinsola’s threats during a deceptive April 28 meeting in Akure, has gone unanswered, fueling their resolve.
The protest, which disrupted travel and drew attention on X, reflects a broader struggle against land alienation in Ondo’s forest reserves, with cocoa farmers—who contribute significantly to Nigeria’s top cocoa-producing state—facing existential threats. The farmers’ unity, spanning Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Tiv communities, underscores their determination to resist what they call an abuse of power. As the legal battle continues, with losses estimated at N500 million since 2023, the farmers’ call for justice resonates, urging federal and state intervention to protect their rights and livelihoods.
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