Metro
Ondo Monarch Leads Mass Protest Against Forceful Ejection Of Farmers

Aged farmers in llua village, Ondo west council area of Ondo state, weekend stage mass protest against the alleged sale of their cocoa plantations and other farmlands by the state government to foreign companies.
The protesters were led by the traditional ruler of Ilua, Oba Olalani Ibidapo.
Displaying placards with various inscriptions, they raised the alarm that the state government had issued them quit notice in all the 20 villages in the area and equally threatened to evacuate them forcefully if they failed to relocate before the end of the year.
Chanting “All we are saying, leave us alone,” the inscriptions on their placards reads, “This is another Slavery”; “We say no to the destruction of our cocoa farms; “No Farmers, No Nation”; “We don’t want to steal, farming is our job”; “Aketi should not sell our lands to Chinese”; “They should leave us here to farm, we have no where to go”; “Cocoa farm is our livelihood, don’t chase us out”; “Cocoa farm is what we live on, don’t sell the lands to China.”
Speaking with newsmen, the monarch, Oba Ibidapo, said: “There were some people who came to our villages and started erecting signposts that the state government has sold our farmlands and villages to Chinese and Indian companies.
“They said government has issued notice that we should quit our farms and villages because the companies wanted to move in and take over our farms and villages.
“We have been here for over 100 years and we are here farming, no other things. I have more than 19 villages under me here, Ilua, Laoso, Adejori, Logunofe, Keseomi, Obadore, Obakele, Ilua 2, Kangidi, Oloruntedo, Abayemisi and Magbaralewon just to mention a few.
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“We heard suddenly that we should move out unexpectedly. Where are we going to go. Look at our people, no work. We have graduates among us here, but since there’s no job, they ventured into farming.
“We are protesting against this policy and we also appeal to our Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu to please consider our situation here.
“We are large communities and that’s why state government itself provided health centres, schools and polling units for us here.
“We voted for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general elections. We are more than 50,000 in terms of population.
“But I want government to take note that If they insist on ejecting us, there would be problem. Many of the victims would turn to criminals.
“Look at youths working on the farm, government should be happy about this development. Look at the crowd.”
The Chairman of Youths of Laje community, Laoso District, Ondo West, Akinbami Philip said: “We are begging our governor to rescind this policy and order.
“We have graduates who have farms here, we want the government to leave us so that we would continue working on our farms. This is where we feed our families.
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“Government asked us to pay money and we are faithful to it. Every year, government did give us payment advice, sometimes N3 million and we did pay.
“But now, they no longer give us payment advice. The last time we paid to the government coffers was in 2021 because they don’t give us payment advice again.
“What we think is that the government wants to sell these lands totally. This would make us suffer. We have started seeing white men coming to the land, we are against this policy.”
Another community leader, Prince Francis Adewole, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to help them prevail on Governor Akeredolu to allow them continue working on their cocoa and plantain farms.
“We are begging President Tinubu also to help us appeal to Governor Akeredolu to give us a chance to enjoy what we have laboured for.
“We have been here for over 100 years, we have lots of cocoa plantations, plantain farms, kolanuts farms and other crops. We are many here and our only occupation is farming.”
One of the farmers, a graduate of Physics, Ademola Ajibola, told newsmen that he decided to venture into farming when he couldn’t get a job in the city.
Ajibola said: “We are highly surprised by the state government’s action against us. We have been here for many years, I am a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, but no job.
“Yet I decided to venture into cocoa farming. We do pay to the government our dues till 2021 when we saw some people erecting signpost on our farms.
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” They said they were given the order to come and destroy our cocoa and other plantations. Where do we go from here?
“We have villages all around here, no hideout for bandits or criminals. We are protesting because the government would not let us breathe.
“Food security is our watchword here, we sell foods to the people in town. If we are being evacuated from here, I don’t know what might be the result.
“But if this policy of leaving here is being carried out, there would be social implications, there would be disaster.”
A community leader, Mrs. Faith Akinduro, lamented that instead of being encouraged by the state government for going into farming, the government allegedly wanted to eject them from their farmlands.
Akinduro said: “Sometimes last year, we were given notice that some people were being arrested here, so we should leave this place. They are ready to destroy all our properties.
“We are not criminals here, we are farmers, we should be encouraged instead of this. We do pay our dues. When it is election period, they do come here and we do vote for them. Why are they claiming that people are not here?
“It is a pity, I don’t have anywhere to go, we depend on farm work here, no other work for me. Where do you want over 50,000 people to go? We are doing fine here, they should look into the situation, because if not, we women would carry guns and turn to criminals.”
Contacted to comment on the alleged ejection of the farmers, the Senior Special Assistant (Agric & Agribusiness) to the governor, Pastor Akin Olotu, denied the allegations.
Olotu, said that state government didn’t issue such quit notice and sale of the farmers farms to anyone or foreign firm.
VANGUARD
Metro
NDLEA Arrests 54 Suspected Traffickers, Seizes 1,506.57kg of Drugs In Edo

Operatives of the Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested 54 suspected drug traffickers with 1,506.57kg of various narcotic drugs.
The state commander of the agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju disclosed this on Tuesday while presenting the operational scorecard of the command in Benin City.
Ofoyeju said the seizure of the drugs and arrest of the suspects took place in the month of September.
He added that a total of 66,078,57kg of skunk cannabis were destroyed by the Command in the period under review.
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The Commander, who said that the command recorded significant successes in its operations within the month, added that it was part of its concerted effort to combat drug trafficking and abuse in the state.
He gave the breakdown of the arrested suspects to include 43 males and 11 females.
He also added that during the operation six illicit plantations spanning over 26.43 hectares were destroyed.
Ofoyeju explained that the destroyed plantations were located at Ugbogui Forest, Ovia South West, Ataroro Forest, Owan West, Urohi Forest, Esan West, and Ogu Forest, Igueben Local Government Areas of the State with an estimated yield of 66,078.5715 kg of skunk cannabis.
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“The command also intercepted 1,506.57kg of illicit drugs,” Mitchell stated while emphasising the command’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks operating within the state.
“The breakdown of the seized drugs is as follows: Cannabis Sativa 1,502. 26 Kg, psychotropic substances 4.27kg including tramadol 3.964kg, nitrazepam 0.087kg, Swinol 0.0445kg, Danabol (Molly) 0.1163kg, methamphetamine 0.0184 Kg, cocaine 0.028 Kg and heroin 0.014kg”, he said.
The NDLEA Commander in the state while expressing determination in the command’s campaign against drug trafficking, reiterated the importance of strategic operations in safeguarding communities and reducing drug demand.
He posited that the successs signified a critical step toward reclaiming the safety and health of citizens, as Edo State continues to grapple with the pressing issues of drug trafficking and abuse.
Metro
Army Officer Dies After Wife Allegedly Sets Him Ablaze In Akwa Ibom

A Nigerian Army officer, Lieutenant Samson Haruna, has died after sustaining severe burns when his wife allegedly set him on fire during a domestic dispute in Akwa Ibom State.
The incident reportedly occurred on September 22, 2025, at the Wellington Bassey Barracks in Ibagwa, Abak Local Government Area of the state.
According to a report shared on X by counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama on Tuesday, the late officer, who served as a Regimental Medical Officer with the Army’s 6 Battalion, had a heated altercation with his wife, identified as Mrs. Samson Haruna, which escalated violently.
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Sources cited by Makama alleged that during the argument, the woman doused her husband with petrol and set him ablaze.
Lt. Haruna was first treated at the military medical unit within the barracks before being transferred to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, where he later died from his injuries despite efforts by medical personnel to save him.
Military sources confirmed that the suspect has been arrested and remains in custody as investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Metro
Stop Using Edo Money For Federal Roads, Residents Tell Okpebholo

Residents of Benin, the Edo State capital have urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to stop using money accruing to the state on federal government projects.
The residents, who frowned at the governor’s unrelenting efforts in fixing federal roads, lamented that most state-owned roads are in the state of disrepair.
According to the residents, roads in the Government Reservation Area (GRA) have failed and are not motorable, adding that several other state-owned roads have failed and are in need of urgent repairs.
An Activist and head of Talakawas Parliament, in Edo State, Kola Edokpaiyi, said it was ‘busy body’ that made Okpebholo to abandon state-owned roads that are crying for attention in favour of federal roads.
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He said, “There are so many deplorable state roads in Edo State that are not motorable. We expect the Governor of Edo State to quickly give attention to them all before considering Federal Roads if the state is too rich.
“The Minister of Works, Mr. David Umahi has visited federal roads in Edo State about two times to ascertain how deplorable the roads are. He has already given the brief to Mr. President. We expect the Minister to swing into action based on the huge finance allocated by Federal Government to get the work done.
“I want to appeal to His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo to address the so many state roads that are bad.”
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Also, a commercial driver, who plies between Ring Road and Ebvuotubu, Joseph Ikpigho, said he spent more money to fix his car due to bad roads.
Recall that Okpebholo has embarked on reconstruction of 23 kilometres of the Sapele Road axis of the East-West road.
He is also assisting the Federal Government to fix failed portions of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi highway.
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