Over 24,000 farm settlers in the Ago-Owu area of Osun State are facing possible displacement following a state directive allowing mineral exploration within their farmland.
Raising the alarm, the farmers have appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to urgently intervene and prevent any disruption to farming activities that sustain thousands of families.
President of the Ago-Owu Farm Settlers, Adebanji Obembe, made the appeal to both Governor Adeleke and the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, urging them to halt any exploration plans.
Obembe revealed that a letter signed by the Special Adviser on Mining and Minerals, Lukman Jimoda, granted a private firm permission to conduct mineral tests within the settlement — a move he says violates the original land-use agreement with the state government.
According to him, the agreement granted settlers 99 years of land use, and any mining activity on the land would be a breach.
“Ago-Owu has expanded from 4,676 hectares at inception to 16,000 hectares today. Our population has grown to over 24,000 settlers,” Obembe stated. “Seventy percent of our people are young, educated Nigerians who turned to farming due to unemployment. The rest are retirees investing their pensions into agriculture.”
He warned that introducing mining into the settlement would lead to mass eviction, economic hardship, and potential security threats.
“This land is our only means of livelihood. Forcing us out will trigger hunger, homelessness, and possibly increased urban crime from displaced youths,” he said.
Obembe called on the state government to uphold the 99-year agreement, stressing that any attempt to mine the land would jeopardize the settlers’ survival.
“Our lives are tied to this land. Any disruption could lead to untimely deaths and social instability,” he added.
Government Response: No Mining Yet
Responding to the concerns, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, assured the farmers that no mining activities had commenced.
He clarified that while a company had shown interest in conducting mineral tests, no exploration or excavation was underway.
“If the farmers notice any mining activity, they should report immediately. We are still at the testing stage,” Alimi said.
He acknowledged that while the land belongs to the state, mineral resources are under federal control. However, he emphasized that the government would not allow any disruption to existing agreements without adequate compensation.
“The Special Adviser has already engaged with the settlers. We urge them to remain calm and allow the process to follow due procedure,” Alimi added.
