The family of a 55-year-old farmer, Nwafor Romanus, and other farmers in Temidire Camp 1, Oluwa Forest Reserve, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have accused forest guards of allegedly beating him during an operation in the reserve, leading to his death.
The farmers have petitioned Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, demanding an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Romanus’ death.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, when officials of the Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, accompanied by forest guards and a Joint Task Force (JTF), reportedly stormed the forest reserve and seized motorcycles belonging to some farmers.
However, the ministry had denied that Romanus died as a result of the confrontation, maintaining that he died in an accident.
But the farmers, through their lawyer, Tope Temokun Chambers, disputed the ministry’s position, alleging that Romanus was assaulted during the operation and subsequently died from injuries sustained in the incident.
Chairman of farmers in Temidire Camp 1, Rotimi Isileye Abayomi, said he and other community leaders rushed to the scene after receiving information about the operation while they were attending a meeting.
According to him, the ministry officials arrived in a convoy of about 11 Toyota Hilux vehicles and a Land Rover SUV before allegedly impounding the farmers’ motorcycles.
Abayomi said he was stopped when he attempted to overtake two vehicles in the convoy, adding that his motorcycle was also seized and loaded into one of the vehicles.
He alleged that farmers subsequently barricaded the road with their motorcycles, preventing two of the vehicles from leaving.
The chairman claimed that forest guards then allegedly descended on some of the farmers and beat them.
He said Romanus was among those allegedly assaulted and that he collapsed at the scene, although he did not die immediately.
Abayomi said he contacted the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Rotimi Eemimo, who reportedly intervened and asked the ministry officials to release the seized motorcycles.
He, however, alleged that the intervention failed as the officials eventually left the forest with the motorcycles.
Abayomi exonerated the military and mobile policemen who were part of the team, saying they were not involved in the alleged assault.
He said the following morning, while the farmers’ leaders were travelling to Akure with their operational licences to demand the release of the motorcycles, they received a distress call around Omi Ifon that Romanus had died.
Two daughters of the deceased, Favour and Lilian Nwafor, said their father complained of severe pains after the alleged assault and could not sleep throughout the night.
They said he was taken to the General Hospital, Ore, around 5am, where he was later pronounced dead.
In the petition dated Tuesday and titled, “Assault and Torture on Farmers at Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A), and the Consequent Fatality of Late Mr. Nwafor Romanus by Personnel of the Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture on 2nd September, 2026,” the family and farmers asked Governor Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene.
The petition, signed by the Principal Counsel of Tope Temokun Chambers, Tope Temokun, accused officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of alleged assault, human rights abuses and excessive use of force during the operation.
The petitioners alleged that several farmers, including Odugbemi Isiaq, Sunday Adadenu, Ogunsanmi Oladapo and Ogunbiyi Tope, were also beaten and forcibly dispersed during the operation.
They further alleged that Romanus suffered severe physical assault, collapsed at the scene and later died after being taken to hospital.
The lawyers also challenged the ministry’s claim that Romanus died in an accident.
They alleged that an affidavit reportedly sworn by the deceased’s daughter and referenced by the ministry had been wrongly relied upon to characterise the death as accidental.
The petitioners called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the affidavit and the ministry’s use of the document.
They also claimed that farmers had identified some personnel allegedly involved in the operation, naming Taye Alabora, Segun, Kbanty, Ojifini, Kehinde, Abbey and Obadun.
The petitioners urged the governor to immediately suspend the named personnel pending the outcome of an investigation, arguing that this would prevent possible interference with witnesses and official records.
Among their demands were the establishment of an independent Executive Commission of Inquiry, release of all operational orders and deployment records relating to the September 2 operation, and an independent medical examination to determine the exact cause of Romanus’ death.
They also requested medical assistance for injured farmers and support for the deceased’s family pending the outcome of the investigation.
The petitioners urged the governor to ensure that anyone found to have acted outside the law faced appropriate prosecution.
They maintained that the investigation should not be limited to determining the medical cause of Romanus’ death, but should also examine the legality of the forest operation, the conduct of officials and the level of administrative oversight.
The family and farmers said their demand was simply for “justice, fairness and accountability” over the incident.
