The Take It Back (TIB) Movement has strongly condemned what it describes as the unlawful arrest and detention of three residents of Ondo State, allegedly orchestrated by the Managing Director of Okitipupa Oil Palm Company, Mr. Taiwo, in connection with a longstanding land dispute.
In a statement released by the group’s spokesperson, TIB accused Mr. Taiwo of leveraging police authorities to intimidate and silence local residents who have challenged the company's claims over disputed farmlands. According to TIB, the arrests occurred without proper investigation or court orders, raising serious concerns about abuse of power and police complicity.
"The individuals arrested are law-abiding citizens who have been peacefully asserting their ancestral rights to land that Okitipupa Oil Palm has attempted to annex without due process," the statement read. "The use of state security apparatus to settle corporate scores is not only unlawful, it is oppressive and unacceptable in a democratic society."
TIB has called for the immediate release of the arrested individuals and is demanding an independent investigation into the conduct of both the police and the company’s management. The group has also urged civil society organizations and legal advocates to rise in defense of land rights and resist corporate overreach in local communities.