The Ondo State Government has denied claims by cocoa farmers in Odigbo Local Government Area that it sold their farmland in the Oluwa Forest Reserve to a private company, SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited, thereby stripping them of their means of livelihood.
Hundreds of farmers staged a protest on Sunday against the company and the state government, accusing them of forcefully taking over their plantations in the forest reserve. The demonstrators alleged that the destruction of their crops was being carried out on the orders of the former Chief Executive Officer of SAO Agro-Allied Services and current Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, ayo Sotinrin, in collusion with the state government.
In response, the Ebenezer Adeniyan, chief press secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, issued a statement on Wednesday distancing Sotinrin from the controversy.
Read also: Ondo records highest domestic debt reduction in Nigeria
“It is important to clarify that Ayo Sotinrin is the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, a Federal Government institution. Allegations implying that he is using a private firm to seize farmlands are malicious, unfounded, and a clear attempt at character assassination,” the statement read.
“SAO Agro-Allied Services, on its part, has been operating under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement approved by the state since 2021. The firm’s acquisition and development of agro-industrial zones have followed due process and are under full government oversight. None of its activities involves the unlawful takeover of legally secured farms.”
The statement also noted that the protesting farmers had breached an agreement on the issue of the contentious land in the forest reserve.
Read also: Aiyedatiwa incapacitated, Ondo requires state of emergency, PDP tells Tinubu
“Many of the aggrieved farmers currently occupying parts of the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) have breached existing agreements and exceeded designated land allocation parameters. Some have encroached on restricted forest zones without authorisation, while others have failed to comply with the agreed land use terms, posing serious environmental and security concerns.
“Contrary to the claims of contempt for court injunctions, the Ondo State Government and all related agencies; public and private, have acted strictly within the framework of the law. Where litigations are ongoing, every step taken has been guided by legal counsel, verified surveys, and documented notifications. No action has been taken arbitrarily.”
The statement also cleared the Rotimi Akinsola, senior special assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, from the matter, saying Akinsola was never involved in the land grabbing as alleged by the farmers.
“Akinsola is a government appointee overseeing agribusiness in the state. His role involves the strategic management of large-scale commercial agriculture investors granted concessions to develop extensive hectares of land, an effort that is expected to create thousands of jobs and boost the state’s revenue. Claims suggesting that he is involved in land grabbing are not only false but politically driven and completely at variance with the facts, ” the government explained.
According to the statement, the governor remained open to dialogue with all stakeholders and was determined to protect livelihoods without compromising the rule of law.
“This administration remains committed to transparency, environmental sustainability, and the growth of agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy,” it stressed.
