Aresa-Adu Throne Vacancy: Land Dispute Forces Residents to Flee Iresa-Adu Community

Tension escalated in Oke-Àrò village, located in Surulere Local Government Area of Iresa-Adu, Oyo State, as armed men reportedly stormed the community and ordered residents to vacate their farmlands.

The incursion forced several villagers to flee for safety, with some spending the night in the surrounding forest.

According to residents, the attack is linked to a lingering land dispute allegedly triggered by the sale of portions of the community’s land by a Baale from a neighbouring village to an unverified buyer.

The Baale of Oke-Àrò, however, insists that the land in question does not belong to the seller and that no village head has the authority to dispose of the land without the consent of the rightful custodian.

He emphasized that, by tradition, only the Aresa of Iresa-Adu has the legitimate authority to sell or allocate land within the area.

The situation has been further complicated by the prolonged vacancy of the Aresa-Adu throne, which has remained without an approved occupant for nearly nine years due to pending government action.

Residents are now calling on the Oyo State Government and relevant security agencies to intervene urgently to prevent further unrest, ensure their safety, and resolve the leadership vacuum that has deepened land-related tensions in the community.

OYO NEWS