The claimants are a coalition of cocoa farmers, dwelling in the Oluwa Forest Reserve in various settlements grouped into camps of Temidire, Adeleye Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso, Isero and their sub-camps, within the reserve in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

On Wednesday, Reporters learnt from their lawyer, Tope Temokun, that the contempt proceeding had been filed against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sao Agro-Allied Services before the State High Court.

He also stated that a letter of notice was sent to the office of the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, regarding how the staff of Sao Agro-Allied Services Limited continued to degrade cocoa plantations and farmland at Temidire and the agrarian areas within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A).

The letter reads: “We are Counsel to Cocoa farmers, farming in the Oluwa forest reserve in various settlements grouped into camps of Temidire, Adeleye Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso, Isero and their sub-camps, within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) Odigbo, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, who are also Claimants in SUIT NOHOR/14/2023- ABAYOMI ROTIMI ISINLEYE AND OTHERS VS ONDO STATE GOVERNMENT AND OTHERS (hereinafter referred to as "our clients") on whose instructions we write to you sir.

“You will recall sir that in consequence of the application of Our Clients, the Claimants in SUIT NO. HOR/14/2023 ABAYOMI ROTIMI ISINLEYE AND OTHERS VS ONDO STATE GOVERNMENT AND OTHERS, on the 2nd of May 2023, the Ondo State High Court at Ore Judicial Division sitting in Ondo, Ondo State, granted an interim injunction dated 26th of April 2023, restraining the defendants from further grading or continuing to grade Our Clients' Cocoa plantations and farmland at Temidire, Adeleye, Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso and that sub-camps within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) in Odigbo, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, the subject matter of the suit pending before the CourtThe order was drawn up and obtained and served on the defendants accordingly.

“Surprisingly and in flagrant disobedience to the said Order of the Court, men reportedly believed to be workers of SAO AGRO-ALLIED SERVICES LIMITED, the 7th Defendant in the case pending before the Court, have cantankerously continued on a daily basis to grade the Cocoa farmlands of our clients, in the Oluwa forest reserve in various camps of Temidire, Adeleye Itamerin, Ijoba, Ayeleso, Isero and their sub-camps, within Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) Odigbo, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, subject-matter of a restraining Order of Court of competent jurisdiction.

“We, on behalf of Our Clients, hereby appeal to His Excellency to prevail on SAO AGRO- ALLIED SERVICES LIMITED, through its CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, to eschew lawless pursuit of its business interest in the State by complying with Order of the High Court of Ondo State and halt its contemptuous activities currently going on in the Oluwa Forest Reserve of Ondo State.”

Reporters earlier reported that an Ondo State High Court in Ore had stopped the state government and Sao Agro-Allied Services Ltd. from forcefully evicting over 10,000 farmers from the Oluwa Forest Reserve in the state.