Cocoa farmers protest eviction from Ondo forest reserve

Tamarauemi Ebimini

Thousands of cocoa farmers in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State have appealed to the state government to reconsider its moves to evict them from a government forest reserve.

The state government said it has allocated thousands of hectares currently occupied by the farmers in the reserve to a private company for the cultivation of oil palm.

The farmers said the state government, which accused them of “encroachment and poaching”, has sent security operatives to chase them away from their farms.

In a petition to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the farmers through their lawyer protested the forceful eviction from Oluwa Forest Reserve by Amotekun operatives and other local militia.

The lawyer, Tope Temokun, in his petition, said the farmers had been in the location for over two decades and were duly registered with the government.

He said the farmers were surprised when on 18 April hundreds of armed men stormed the forest shooting and scaring away the farmers.

He urged the government to follow due process and give the farmers enough time to harvest their crops.

However, the state Commissioner for Information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, said on Friday that forest reserves belong to the government, and farming and hunting are forbidden there.

Mrs Ademola-Olateju, however, said the state government had engaged the farmers many times and discussed plans to settle those who farm on government land on 100 hectares in modern, organised farming.

She warned that no amount of blackmail and misinformation would make the government rescind its decision on the use of its land.

On the issue of money paid to the government, the information commissioner said rent was supposed to be paid annually.