Kwara and Ekiti Communities Blame Each Other Over Fresh Land Dispute Attack

A renewed dispute over land ownership has triggered accusations between the Obbo-Ayegunle community in Kwara State and the Eda Oniyo community in Ekiti State following an alleged attack last week.

The two communities have presented conflicting accounts of the incident. While residents of Obbo-Ayegunle accused people from Eda Oniyo of invading their territory, the Eda Oniyo community insisted that Obbo-Ayegunle residents were responsible for attacking farmers in its area.

The disagreement centres on the ownership of land where members of the Obbo-Ayegunle community are settled.

The dispute has persisted between the two communities for some time.

In a statement signed by the President of the Obbo Descendants Forum, Ade Ogun, the Obbo-Ayegunle community appealed to the Ekiti State Government to intervene and prevent further hostilities.

Ogun alleged that eight men from Eda Oniyo, reportedly led by a man identified as Ojo Eda, entered Obbo farmlands on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, and threatened farmers with violence.

He said the alleged action contradicted an earlier resolution reached during a meeting in Ado-Ekiti aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the dispute.

The Obbo group also accused Eda Oniyo residents of relying on what it described as a misleading account suggesting that Obbo people were merely tenants on land they regard as their ancestral home.

The group appealed to the Ekiti State Government to encourage both communities to pursue dialogue, while warning that residents would defend themselves if alleged attacks continued without intervention.

However, the National President of Eda Oniyo Progressives, Dr Rufus Ajayi, rejected the allegations and claimed that Obbo-Ayegunle residents were attempting to take over land belonging to Eda Oniyo.

Ajayi alleged that the Obbo-Ayegunle community was responsible for the attack on Wednesday, claiming that about 35 people armed with cutlasses and guns entered the area and attempted to drive farmers away.

According to him, the incident was reported to the Ekiti State Government’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, retired Brigadier General Ebenezer Ogundana, who subsequently contacted the Commissioner of Police to arrange security intervention.

Ajayi said the attackers had already left the area before security personnel could arrive.

He maintained that the disputed land belonged to Eda Oniyo, arguing that their forefathers had previously allowed members of the Obbo-Ayegunle community to settle there but that the latter were now attempting to claim ownership.

Ajayi urged the Ekiti State Government to intervene by resolving the dispute and removing what he described as illegal occupation of Ekiti land.

He also suggested that the disputed area could be converted into a farm settlement to provide employment for youths and improve food production in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Ekiti State Governor on Security Matters, Ogundana, could not be reached for comment as of press time.

The conflicting claims have heightened concerns over the need for urgent government intervention to prevent further violence and ensure that the longstanding land dispute is resolved through peaceful and lawful means.

Join us on our WhatsApp Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE

koikimedia Bringing the World 🌎 Closer to Your Doorstep