While protesting against the development, the affected farmers stated that they were infuriated upon seeing numerous bulldozers clearing away their cocoa farms in the area. They pleaded with the government to reconsider the decision, emphasising the importance of their land for the production of cocoa, palm oil, cashew, and other agricultural products.
The protesters who barricaded the Ondo-Ore expressway in Ondo town displayed placards with various inscriptions to inform the government of their grievances. The protest caused a heavy traffic gridlock on the road as travellers were delayed for hours. Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, 'Let the Farmers Breathe,' 'No Farmers, No Nation,' 'We are not Slaves,' and 'Don’t Turn Us to Kidnappers and Bandits,' among others.