Farmers Sue Ondo Government Over Sale of Farmlands to Foreign Firm

In Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, farmers have taken legal action against the state government for selling their farmlands to a foreign company. The farmers, represented by Oluwa Forest Reserve Farmers, filed the lawsuit at the Ondo State High Court in Ondo town. They claim that the sale of 2000.482 hectares of their farmland in the Oluwa Forest Reserves has rendered thousands of them jobless.

The suit, filed by their lawyer Mr. Tope Temokun, names the Ondo State Government, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Ministry of Agriculture, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, the former Chairman of the Ondo State Agribusiness and Empowerment Centre Mr. Akin Olotu, and ACME Palm Limited as defendants.

The farmers are requesting the court to declare the sale illegal and void, and to nullify the Certificate of Occupancy issued to the foreign firm. They are also seeking an injunction to prevent the firm from exercising ownership or possession of the land.