The Edo State Government has vowed to revoke all farmlands illegally acquired through proxy companies, a move aimed at restoring ownership to indigenous farmers and ensuring transparency in land administration.
This declaration was made by the Deputy Governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, during a courtesy visit to the Edo State Government House where he met with members of the Association of Cocoa Farmers.
The meeting was convened to address widespread complaints from farmers in Ovia North East and Ovia South West Local Government Areas who claimed they were being systematically evicted from their lands by powerful interests operating under the guise of legal entities.
Speaking passionately to the gathered farmers, Idahosa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding their rights and assured them that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo would not stand by while the livelihoods of hardworking citizens were threatened.
He reminded them that one of the governor’s campaign pledges was to prioritise the welfare of farmers and he would uphold that promise by using legal means to reclaim farmlands obtained through dubious transactions.
The deputy governor acknowledged the economic and social significance of agriculture in the state, noting that during the election campaign which spanned all 18 local government areas, Governor Okpebholo witnessed firsthand the vital role farmers play in local development.
He emphasised that no farmer who pays their taxes and operates within the boundaries of the law should be subjected to land grabs or displacement by unscrupulous entities.
Idahosa assured the farmers that such lands would be repossessed through due process and restored to their rightful owners.
He further disclosed that the state government is actively working to reduce conflict between farmers and herders and is investing in security infrastructure to protect rural communities.
In a detailed complaint, the cocoa farmers, led by Mr. Bello Osaretin, alleged that some officials within the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security were complicit in the illegal sale of the Ohusu and Okomu Forest Reserves to foreign nationals, particularly Chinese investors.
These transactions were allegedly endorsed by the chairman of the Forest Commission, a Ghanaian who the farmers claim is unfamiliar with the legal framework governing land tenure in Edo State.
Osaretin warned that without immediate intervention by the current administration, over 40 rural communities in Ovia South West, home to thousands of farmers faced the threat of extinction due to aggressive land grabs.
The meeting ended with renewed confidence among the farmers, who applauded the government’s promise to take decisive action to protect their ancestral lands.
Credit: Nigerian Observer
