The Ondo State Government has declared zero tolerance for land grabbing in the state, urging residents to shun the practice.
The Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force set up by the government also warned that anyone caught engaging in land grabbing would face the full weight of the law.
The chairman of the task force and Attorney General of the state, Dr Kayode Ajulo, stated this on Saturday after the maiden meeting of the group in Akure, the state capital.
This was contained in a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday.
Ajulo said there would be zero tolerance for land-grabbing activities across the 18 local government areas of the state in 2026.
According to him, the task force is determined to safeguard property owners across the state, noting that it has outlined strategies and strengthened enforcement to curb land grabbing and other land-related crimes.
He warned that anyone who violates the Ondo State Properties Protection and Its Documentation Law, 2024, would face the full weight of the law, stressing that 2026 has been declared a decisive and difficult year for land grabbers in the state.
“The grace period expired in 2025. Any land grabber operating in Ondo State should know that this year will be different.
“Recall that I earlier stated that we have compiled the names of individuals our investigations have confirmed to be deeply involved in land grabbing, turning themselves into veterans of illegality.
“In 2026, we are going all out against them, and the law will be enforced strictly without compromise”, the statement quoted him to have said.
The Attorney General further warned that the task force would no longer tolerate illegal land sales, multiple sales of land by owning families, intimidation of lawful owners, or any form of forceful land acquisition.
He added that anyone found guilty of such offences would be arrested, prosecuted, and made to face the consequences of their actions.
Ajulo commended the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for allaying fears associated with land-related fraud through the enactment of the Ondo State Properties Protection and Its Documentation Law, 2024, which criminalises land grabbing and related offences.
Meanwhile, in December, some farmers from the Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state staged a protest over what they described as persistent assault, intimidation and harassment by suspected land grabbers.
The farmers, who marched in large numbers to the Governor’s Office to register their grievances, said they could no longer endure the alleged attacks, which they claimed had prevented them from accessing their farmlands despite being legally allocated portions of the forest reserve by the state government.
