The family of Pa Gabriel Oyinlola Modupe of Aponmu community in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State has protested the alleged destruction of both their food and cash crops worth millions of naira on their land by suspected land grabbers.

The protesters, who besieged the office of the AIG, Zone 17 and the governor’s office in Akure yesterday, carried placards with various inscriptions such as: ‘Our patience is being exhausted’; ‘Our farmland is being destroyed by Deji of Akure’; ‘Please, we don’t want war in our community’; ‘Please Stop them from our property’; and ‘Please save us from the hand of Deji of Akure’, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the family, the Chief Sasere of Aponmu, Modupe Odunayo, expressed his displeasure over the destruction of cash crops like cocoa, palm trees, cashew, kola nut among others on the land.

He said despite having necessary documents backing the land, the suspected land grabbers invaded the farmland with tractors and bulldozed the entire plantation.

According to him, “It is a rude shock on January 4, 2025, Chief Ayodele Imafidon, Chief Agboola Ajayi, Mr. John and unknown persons entered our family land with tractors destroying both food and cash crops which include economic trees.

“We’ve been submitted our petition to the office of AIG, Zone 17 detailing how they perpetrated the illegality. The land belongs to my father and all the people my people apportioned the land to farm on are all here. We’ve asked the land grabbers to stop their illegality but turn deaf ear to our demand. When we went their yesterday, they threatened to kill me with cutlass.

“We are calling on the state Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to come to our rescue. They know quite well that the land doesn’t belong to them because we have documents backing our ownership of the land. The excuse they’re giving us is that they’re following a directive from the palace of the Deji of Akure.”

Also, lawyer to the family, Olugbenga Adedugbe, called on the police to help in bringing justice to prevail as the peace of the whole community is under threat as land grabbing is a criminal act in Ondo State.

“That our clients are the direct sons and daughters of Pa Gabriel Oyintola Medupe who was the first to found and farm on the said land for over 100 years, wherein he also built houses and allocated portions for persons paying rents for farming purposes only during his life time.

“That different persons had occupied part of the said land a different times with the permission of the family after the death Pa Gabriel Modupe. That it is a rude shock on January 4, 2025, Chief Ayodele Imafidon, Chief Agboola Ajayi, Mr. John and unknown persons entered the said land with tractors destroying both food and cash crops which include economic trees on our client’s farmlands.

“Chief Ayodele Imafidon, Chief Agboola Ajayi, Mr. John and Unknown Persons came in company of unknown persons with guns, cutlass and clubs(with nails) threatening anyone that question their malicious acts of destroying properties on the farmlands an altering the topography of the farmlands,” he stated.

He added that none of the suspected land grabbers has any portion on the farmlands because they are not members of the family of Pa Gabriel Oyinlola Modupe.

“They boosted that the way they used the tractor on the farms is the same way they will use the cutlass to cut to pieces anybody that challenges them or stop them from accessing or selling the farmlands. That they had concluded plans to bring more thugs to resist any lawful resistance to the selling of the farmland. That the said property is within the family approved perimeter survey of our client and our clients can no longer access other parts of the farmlands,” he stated. (THISDAY)