ONDO DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN DEATH OF COCOA WORKER IN FOREST RESERVE
RE: ONDO FOREST INCIDENT: 55-YEAR-OLD COCOA WORKER DIES AFTER ALLEGED JTF, MINISTRY OPERATION
The Forestry Sub-sector of the Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is saddled with the responsibility of protecting all forest reserves in the state.
The law establishing the sector empowers forest officers to maintain, carry out surveillance, and conduct routine anti-encroachment drives in all forest reserves across the state.
On 2nd September, 2026, the Ministry embarked on one of its statutory mandates to ensure that the forest is protected and secured from criminal activities perpetrated by encroachers and cannabis planters. All Directors in the Ministry embarked on the routine exercise by visiting Temidire-Rotimi Camp in the OA3 Forest Reserve and SOL WOOD LIMITED in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The team was denied access to the forest by encroachers who blocked the road and harassed the team.
A driver of the Ministry was slapped several times.
The unregistered farmers were led by their leader, one Rotimi, and they have destroyed portions of the forest to plant fresh cocoa, which is against the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) compliance and the agroforestry policy of the State Government.
According to the EUDR, cocoa plantations established in forest reserves beyond the year 2020 will not be acceptable by the european market.
To address this, the State Government introduced polygon mapping and agroforestry to regenerate the forest and at the same time support farmers who cooperate with the Ministry and embrace government policies.
The statement from the encroachers linking the death of a cocoa farmer, Mr. Nwafor Romano, to officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is an attempt to tarnish the image of a body backed by law to supervise and monitor forest reserves.
It is also a ploy to blackmail government officials and put the lives of foresters at risk.
The Ministry observes that the encroachers deliberately deployed this callous campaign to scare foresters from performing their lawful duties in the OA3 Forest Reserve axis, so that they can continue to destroy the forest.
According to an affidavit sworn to at the Magistrate Court, Ore, with number ONDO/AFF/1784912026, by Nwafor Lilian Chisom, who identified herself as the daughter of the deceased, the late Nwafor Romano died as a result of an accident. How then was his death be linked to the routine exercise by the Ministry in the OA3 Forest Reserve?
The encroachers were the ones who prevented officials from carrying out their legitimate duties.
As a regulatory authority, the Ministry will not be discouraged nor deterred from its responsibilities, no matter the smear campaign launched against it.
