…₦12.2m plantation destroyed, lives allegedly threatened in Odeda
…Monarch petitions IGP over alleged incitement, defamation in Ilawo dispute
A wave of high-profile petitions submitted to the Nigeria Police has brought fresh attention to escalating security and communal concerns in Ogun State, with allegations ranging from arson and threats to life to public incitement and criminal defamation.
The petitions, filed by legal practitioners, Deban Attorneys, on behalf of different clients, are currently before top police authorities, including the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos, and the Inspector General of Police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
One of the petitions centres on an alleged case of arson and destruction of agricultural investment belonging to Tamarife Farms Nigeria Limited, an agro-allied company operating in Osu Village, via Owu-Odeda in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.
According to the petition dated February 7, 2026, the company accused several individuals, including Taiwo Adewuyi, Rilwan Sodiya, also known as “Rado,” and Seun David Ogunsanya, of orchestrating a coordinated attack on its plantation.
The firm claimed that the suspects, alongside other accomplices said to be at large, unlawfully trespassed onto its farmland and deliberately set fire to cultivated crops in what it described as a malicious act aimed at crippling its operations.
Details contained in the petition revealed that the incident allegedly occurred on January 21, 2026, when a significant portion of the farm was razed, leading to the destruction of over 1,500 economic trees.
Specifically, the company reported that 1,041 oil palm seedlings covering about 12.527 acres and 492 coconut seedlings across approximately 5.136 acres were destroyed in the inferno.
The farm management further alleged that the attack was witnessed by its manager, who reportedly apprehended two young boys believed to have been recruited to carry out the act.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Odeda Police Station but were later granted bail, allegedly secured by the individuals named in the petition.
Beyond the destruction of property, the company raised alarm over alleged threats to life issued against its owner, Mr. Seye Mustapha, and workers on the farm.
It was alleged that the accused persons warned the workers to stay away from the land or face violent consequences, thereby creating fear and disrupting farming activities in the area.
The petition estimated the immediate financial loss from the incident at ₦12,213,000, excluding long-term revenue losses expected from the damaged plantation.
Deban Attorneys argued that the actions of the suspects constitute serious criminal offences, including arson, malicious damage, criminal trespass, intimidation, threats to life, and conspiracy.
The legal representatives therefore urged the police to urgently arrest and investigate the suspects, provide protection for the company’s staff, and prosecute those found culpable.
In a separate but related development, another petition filed by the same law firm has brought to light a chieftaincy dispute involving the Olu of Orile-Ilawo in Abeokuta.
The petition, dated June 27, 2025, was submitted on behalf of His Royal Majesty, Oba (Prof.) Alexander Olusegun MacGregor, alleging unlawful public incitement and defamation by one David Oluwaseun Ogunsanya.
According to the monarch, the accused published a viral social media post calling on members of the public to reject his installation as the recognized traditional ruler of Orile-Ilawo.
The petitioner described the publication as a calculated attempt to incite unrest, undermine lawful authority, and destabilize the peace within the community.
It was further alleged that the accused misrepresented an interlocutory court ruling as a final judgment, thereby misleading the public and interfering with ongoing judicial proceedings.
The monarch maintained that the matter is currently before the Court of Appeal, with a notice of appeal and a motion for stay of execution already filed.
The petition also accused Ogunsanya of convening support for parallel actions, including calls for a community assembly to select what he termed a “legitimate monarch,” despite an existing government-approved installation.
Deban Attorneys argued that such actions violate provisions of the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs Law, particularly those prohibiting acts capable of inciting public disorder or challenging a recognized traditional authority.
Following the petition, the Office of the Inspector General of Police issued a directive to the Ogun State Police Command to investigate the allegations in line with existing operational guidelines.
The directive, dated July 4, 2025, instructed the Commissioner of Police in Ogun State to handle the matter in accordance with extant directives governing criminal investigations.
As of the time of filing this report, police authorities have yet to publicly comment on the status of investigations, but both cases are said to be under official review.
