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.

"We have brought this petition on behalf of farmers numbering 10,000 who engage mainly in cocoa farming in commercial quantity at their various camps in Oluwa Forest Reserve anand who also trade in cocoa business,” the lawyer said.

“Our Clients were registered as farmers in the government forest reserve and for this, they paid the sum of N4,000 registration fee each and paid the sum of N4,000.00 each for issuance of ID Cards, though the cards paid for were not issued to them all.

“In consequence of their registration with the government, as farmers engaging in agricultural activities, they were directed to pay an annual rent of N10,000 per farmer either individually or camp by camp, to the Ondo State 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.

“It is called encroachment and poaching respectively, and it will not be tolerated,” the commissioner said.

“Many of these squatters have long inhabited these forests and have developed a false sense of ownership.

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Source: Premium Times

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/594514-cocoa-farmers-protest-eviction-from-ondo-forest-reserve.html