Four men appeared before the Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Friday, November 29, 2024, for allegedly destroying economic trees valued at N50 million. The defendants—Bashiru Ige, 60, Abdulahi Bello, 60, Kazeem Folarin, 58, and Raheem Saheed, 45—are facing charges of land encroachment, malicious damage, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
The men, whose home addresses were not provided, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to the prosecutor, ASP Anthony Igori, the incident occurred on November 19, 2024, in Oyo town, Oyo State, where the defendants are accused of unlawfully entering the family estate of Mr. Adekunle Odunewu.
Igori alleged that the defendants destroyed a range of valuable economic trees on the property, including palm oil, cocoa, cherry, orange, and kola nut trees, with the total damage estimated at N50 million. Additionally, the defendants are accused of damaging demarcation pillars worth N2 million, which belonged to the Odunewu family.
The prosecutor further alleged that the defendants’ actions were disruptive, preventing the Odunewu family from accessing their land, thereby causing a potential breach of peace.
The offenses are said to violate Sections 6 and 9 of the Oyo State Real Property Protection Law, 2016, as well as Sections 451 and 249(d) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
Magistrate Mr. Olaolu Olanipekun granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each, with one surety required for each defendant in a similar amount. The case was adjourned until January 9, 2025, for further hearing.
