An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has warned Chief Sunday Aderinto and 13 other defendants standing trial in a case of alleged attempted murder and land grabbing to refrain from further encroaching on Aagba land.
Justice Kareem Adedokun said earlier court judgment had proved that the land belonged to Aagba village and not the people of Oko and that they could not lay false claim to it.
He gave the warning after the prosecutor, Mr I. O. Abdulazeez, told the court that the defendants had continuously disregarded the court’s order to stop all forms of violent attacks against the complainants, that is, Dr Isaac Abiodun and the people of Aagba.
He made reference to the petition written by R. A. Ogunwole & Co. firm in respect of the latest attacks against Aagba village.
Read Also: Otuabagi: Oil-rich land turns burial ground for children
At the resumption of trial, Abdulazeez told the court that the defendants had remained adamant by continuously encroaching on Aagba land to carry out unlawful activities, thereby denying them the opportunity of working on their farms as a result of incessant violent attacks.
He said the complainants were ready to testify.
Recall that Abiodun, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tropical Culture Farm, a farm estate, and the people of Aagba have jointly instituted the suit against the 14 defendants.
According to the complainants, the defendants invaded Aagba village in 2021, maiming people and destroying property.
They also told the court that they wrote a petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), who ordered investigation after which he informed the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), who in turn ordered Oyo State Ministry of Justice to institute a criminal case against the defendants.
It will also be recalled that some of the defendants were involved in the April 5, 2025 invasion and burning down of some sections of Aagba land where a 70 year-old woman died as a result of the injuries sustained from the attack.