The people of Okumo community in Okitipupa Local Council Area of Ondo State have appealed to the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, SAN, to urgently intervene in an escalating land dispute they fear could spiral into a communal crisis.

The plea followed alleged attempts by the Orunto family to forcibly eject residents using a 2014 court judgment, despite a subsequent court order halting such actions.

In a petition filed through their legal representative, David Ebriku Esq. of Gbenga Adebugbe & Co Chambers, the community accused the Orunto family of misinterpreting a decade-old court ruling to justify displacing entire households.

The dispute dated back to a 2014 case (Suit No. HOK/76/2014: Franklin Orunto vs. China Railway Construction Company & Ors.), where the High Court ordered the sand-scooping company to vacate a portion of land owned by the Oruntos.

However, the community claims the family has since sought to expand the scope of the judgment to evict all residents, despite the original case targeting only the corporate respondent.

Following the development, the community informed the Attorney General that they were not aware of any court process before the judgment and sought immediate intervention to prevent a looming communal war in Okitipupa Local Government Council Area.

The petition read in part: “Our clients informed us that sometime in 2022, there were in their community in Okumo some people who came in and claimed that they were from the court in Okitipupa to execute a judgment of the High Court, and to our clients’ dismay, the said people brought a copy of the judgment of the High Court, Okitipupa.

“Our clients further informed us that they were not even aware of any court process before the judgment.

“It has come to the knowledge of our clients that based on a judgment in suit number HOK/76/2014 between Franklin Orunto vs China Railway Construction Company & Ors., the High Court of Ondo State ordered the execution of the judgment in the case.

“It must be noted that on 24th April, 2024, the same High Court of Ondo State made another order stopping or staying the execution of the judgment.

“The same order has been served on the parties; the Orunto family, the unlawful execution of the judgment against members of the Okumo community will cause a crisis and endanger the whole community.

“It is on this note we find it necessary to formally inform your good office about the situation and the latest subsisting order of the Ondo State High Court stopping the purported execution of the purported judgment.

“We hereby call on you to intervene in our clients’ complaints, as our clients can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed for fear of being attacked by Orunto family thugs.”