Farmers from ten communities in Ondo East Local Government Area have disowned three detained traditional rulers accused of aiding a land grab in their area.

The protesters alleged that the monarchs including Oba Shina Olayele of Igba and HRH Moses Awonusi Apalara of Uloko Agbonden conspired with a land speculator, Ojo Ajisafe, to seize farmlands stretching from Ita Ila to Oboto.

They claimed the suspects used armed men to intimidate and arrest farmers resisting the takeover, describing the act as an assault on their livelihood.

Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Land Grabbers Are Not Kings” and “Governor Aiyedatiwa, Stop This Oppression,” the protesters urged the state government to intervene and restore their lands.

The Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had earlier warned against the illegal installation of minor chiefs, which protesters say validates their claim that the detained monarchs were not properly installed.

An official of the ministry confirmed awareness of the dispute and said the government is working to resolve it.

The crisis has heightened tension in Ondo East, where farmland remains the primary source of livelihood for most residents. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.