A palpable tension has gripped the Ikale communities within the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State following the alleged invasion of local lands by private firms.
This development has prompted a significant protest by indigenes who accuse these companies of intimidating genuine landowners and disregarding their rights, actions they say pose a direct threat to their livelihoods and heritage.
The protest, which saw a large convergence of residents from Ikale, Ago Alaye, and Agrifon communities at the A1 and A9 areas, was marked by strong sentiments.
The demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Enough is Enough,’ ‘We Say No to Rex Intimidation,’ and ‘Ikale Communities Say No to Marginalisation,’ while chanting solidarity songs to voice their frustration and opposition to the firms’ activities.
Speaking on behalf of the communities, Youth Leader Gabriel Adeyeye emphasised the need for the companies to respect the rights of the indigenous landowners to maintain harmony.
He asserted that the firms’ actions were severely disrupting lives and undermining the area’s peace and stability. Adeyeye provided historical context, claiming that a judgment delivered by Justice O.O. Akeredolu on May 13, 2019, had already affirmed the Ikale people’s ownership of the land, following a dispute with neighbouring Araromi-Obu.
Echoing the call for justice, community leaders Omosebi Ikupuluy and Olawale Araromi expressed their deep displeasure and urgently appealed for the immediate intervention of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to prevent further escalation and resolve the contentious land dispute.
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cc: Daily Post NG
