••• Accuses Surveyor of Land Mischief, Defends Firm’s Legitimacy
The Managing Director of Dortmund Quarry, Mr. Pius Ayodele, has refuted allegations of illegal blasting in Uluyagbo, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, insisting that claims of a community being affected were “false and misleading.”
Speaking to journalists in Akure, Ayodele stressed that there is no recognized settlement in the area apart from two isolated houses, which he described as “trespassers” misled by a surveyor.
“There are only two houses. Two houses can never be a community,” he said. “ The nearest community to us is Imafon, which has a king. These other people are just on Uluyagbo land. It is land, not a community.”
Ayodele further revealed that Dortmund purchased the quarry site, including the land and rock outcrop, as far back as 2013, making them the first occupants.
“We bought our properties, the land and the outcrop, in 2013. We were the first to get here. The family can confirm that,” he said.
He accused a surveyor of double-dealing, alleging that the same individual who sold Dortmund the land later sold plots close to the quarry to unsuspecting buyers, now referred to as trespassers.
“It was the surveyor, as some of them normally do, who sold the land very close to us to these people. That is the mischief. The same surveyor introduced us to the family, and it is the same surveyor selling land near our premises to others. That is why we are in this situation,” Ayodele explained.
The Dortmund boss also disclosed that the company had already taken the matter to court, seeking the eviction of the alleged trespassers.
“We are already in court because we have sued those trespassers. The case is ongoing. Our prayer is for them to vacate our premises,” he said.
Ayodele emphasized that Dortmund was an investor contributing to Ondo State’s development by creating jobs and providing construction materials closer to Akure. He described the opposition to the quarry as a product of “selfishness or jealousy.”
“We are bringing jobs, we are bringing granite closer to Akure for development. I don’t know why someone would oppose that except out of selfishness or jealousy,” he added.
While the Ondo State Government has raised concerns about environmental procedures and safety, Ayodele insisted that the blasting allegations were misleading and reiterated that Dortmund’s operations were legitimate.
