Ondo College Seeks FG’s Intervention over Land Encroachment

Fidelis David in Akure

The Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure, has sought the federal government’s intervention on the alleged unabated encroachment of the land belonging to the institution by land grabbers and destruction of the institution’s properties.

This came two weeks after the institution’s staff and students protested against the land grabbers’ nefarious activities.

Briefing journalists at the institution, the Provost, Dr. Akinyemi Albert Fadiyimu, expressed concern over the alleged persistent attacks and harassment targeting both students and staff of the institution by land grabbers.

In their latest encroachment, he said the alleged land grabbers used bulldozers to pull down economic trees worth N150 million, said Albert.

“The latest incidence of encroachment began on December 7, 2023, and occurred again on the eighth and 13th in the daytime and late night of 16th up till December 20, 2023, when a gang of land grabbers led by one of the children of late Clement Aladegbaye Falodun and his ‘surveyor’ assisted by a retinue of thugs and uniformed ‘security officials’ who are most probably on illegal duty,” the college provots explained.

Albert added, “They forcibly gained entrance into the college premises along the Agbogbo area by pulling down a part of the college perimeter fence with the use of a bulldozer and in the process destroyed the College teak plantation, preserved gene bank of endangered plant and animal species and other economic trees all to the tune of N150 million.

According to him, the college reported the occurrence to relevant security agencies, including the offices of the assistant inspector general of police Zone 17 and commissioner of police, Ondo state command, via petition reference number ODO/GBC/7/12/2023, dated December 7 2023.

The provost urged security agencies to investigate the illegal appropriation and destruction of the institution’s land.

“The public should note that the incessant trespass on the land of Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, which today stands at just 250 acres (about 90 hectares), is posing a serious existential threat to the college,” warned Albert. “If it is not halted now, it may preclude the entire College or some of the courses presently being offered or proposed to be offered in future from meeting the minimum requirement for accreditation. 

He added, “Recently, there is a clamour by some Ondo state (particularly Akure) sons and daughters for the federal government to transform the college into a university of agriculture. However, this dream will never materialise if the activities of these land grabbers are not checkmated.”

The provost, while noting that the recurring damage of government properties and threat to the lives of staff and students is also getting the college community agitated, said farms and plantations being used for practical training and students’ final year projects are continuously being damaged and increasingly becoming inaccessible for staff and students. 

“During one of their incursions on Saturday, December 16, a student was harassed and almost lynched by these hoodlums,” noted Albert. “If something untoward should happen to any of our staff or students, the college management may not be able to control whatever action the students’ body may decide to take in retaliation.”

He stated that all traditional leaders and Ondo residents “are invited to join hand with the federal government and the college management to preserve the sanctity of the college land and work towards its growth and expansion, rather than expropriation of its land, a move that would invariably lead to its gradual extinction.”

The college provost further said, “On the other hand, choosing the former will translate to the progress and development of the state and the promotion of food security as well as ensure that a sustainable foundation is laid for agricultural development for future generations in our dear state and country.”