By Ayodele Popoola
A coalition of community leaders and stakeholders from Ondo West and East Local Government areas has petitioned the Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, calling for urgent government intervention over what it describes as widespread land grabbing and compromised law enforcement in the areas.
The petition, titled “Open Letter for Urgent Government Intervention in Widespread Land Grabbing and Compromised Law Enforcement — Suit No. HOD/3/2017,” was signed by the coalition’s legal representative, Maxwell Iqweogu, Esq., on behalf of traditional rulers, community representatives, and prominent indigenes of the two local government areas.
In the letter addressed to the governor and dated October 29, 2025, the petitioners commended the state government for its developmental strides, and particularly for enacting the Anti-Land Grabbing Law of Ondo State, but expressed concern that the situation in their communities had reached a dangerous level despite the existence of the law.
According to the petition, the coalition alleged that one Mr. Ojo Ajisafe, described as “a notorious land grabber,” had been unlawfully invading, selling and seizing lands across more than 12 villages and towns, spanning over 6,000 acres in the two local government areas.
The petition stated that Mr. Ajisafe and his associates had been evicting residents, selling parcels of land to unsuspecting buyers, and harassing community leaders, even though an appeal was still pending in a related land dispute — Suit No. HOD/3/2017.
“At the trial stage of the suit, Mr. Ojo Ajisafe applied to be joined as a party, but the court expressly refused his application.
‘Despite this, he has arrogated to himself the status of a judgment creditor and has embarked upon large-scale evictions and illegal sales of land,” the petition read in part.
The community leaders further accused some police officers of colluding with Ajisafe to intimidate residents, frame charges against community members and detain opponents of the alleged land takeover.
“Mr. Ajisafe has reportedly boasted of having contacts within the police from Abuja to Ondo State and has used these connections to frame community leaders on trumped-up charges of murder and threat to life,” the petition alleged.
The letter claimed that at least two high chiefs and several other residents had been remanded at the Okitipupa Correctional Centre, on what they described as frivolous charges intended to silence opposition to the land grab.
The petitioners warned that tension in the affected areas was rising rapidly and that many residents were beginning to lose faith in the justice system, creating the risk of violent unrest if immediate intervention was not taken.
“Entire communities, elders, women and youths across more than a dozen villages feel cornered.
“The youths are clamouring to take the law into their own hands. Without urgent intervention, there is a realistic risk of breakdown of law and order,” the petition stated.
According to the petition, the coalition implored the state governor to investigate alleged police collusion and fabricated charges against community leaders, and for the governor’s neutral security personnel to be sent to the affected communities to prevent further violence.
The coalition, therefore, urged the state governor to review the remand of detained chiefs and residents to ensure due process and to ensure respect for the ongoing appeal before the Court of Appeal and halt any prejudicial enforcement actions, while the government should prosecute any individual or police officer found to have abused the criminal justice process for private gain.