Aiyedatiwa denies seizing Ondo cocoa farmers’ land for private firm

The Ondo State Government has refuted claims by some cocoa farmers in Odigbo Local Government Area that it had sold their farmland in Oluwa Forest Reserve to a private firm, thereby ejecting them from their means of livelihood.

Hundreds of farmers in the council area on Sunday staged a protest against the private firm SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited and the state government, accusing them of destroying their farm plantation in Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo LG in a bid to take over the land.

During the protest, the aggrieved farmers alleged that their plantations were being destroyed at the order of the former Chief Executive Officer of the SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited and current Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Mr Ayo Sotinrin, in collaboration with the state government, to take over the land.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Wednesday said Sotinrin was not involved in the land acquisition by the agro-allied firm.

The statement read, “It is important to clarify that Mr 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.

“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.

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 Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, Rotimi Akinsola, 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.

Aiyedatiwa denies seizing Ondo cocoa farmers’ land for private firm

Peter Dada, Akure

The Ondo State Government has refuted claims by some cocoa farmers in Odigbo Local Government Area that it had sold their farmland in Oluwa Forest Reserve to a private firm, thereby ejecting them from their means of livelihood.

Hundreds of farmers in the council area on Sunday staged a protest against the private firm SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited and the state government, accusing them of destroying their farm plantation in Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo LG in a bid to take over the land.

During the protest, the aggrieved farmers alleged that their plantations were being destroyed at the order of the former Chief Executive Officer of the SAO Agro-Allied Services Limited and current Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Mr Ayo Sotinrin, in collaboration with the state government, to take over the land.

However, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Wednesday said Sotinrin was not involved in the land acquisition by the agro-allied firm.

The statement read, “It is important to clarify that Mr 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.

“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.

“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 Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, Rotimi Akinsola, 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.