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| Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu |
Concessionaires in Akure/Ofosu forest reserves in Ondo state on Tuesday, apprehended 15 encroachers allegedly depleting the government’s forests and its economic trees.
The suspects were said to have come from the neighbouring Edo state.
Besides, seven trucks loaded with logs were impounded.
The Timber Association in collaboration with the state government task force arrested the trucks at Ofosu village near Idanre.
Speaking with reporters in Akure,the state capital, chairman of the Concessionaires,Olu Ayodele said, the ‘culprits’ came into the forest to cut the trees without licence or papers backing their action.
According to him” They came from neighbouring Edo state to carry out illegal activities on our forest reserve with some of them now at large, but their trucks were impounded at the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the state”.
“Ironically,it was the same set of people arrested last year and warned to stop the act, but to our dismay, they came back again depleting our forest reserves without permission .”
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on forestry, Fatai Olusina, condemned the activities of the encroachers, describing them as enemies of the state.
He said government had decided to take a decisive measure on anybody caught cutting economic trees illegally in the state ,saying “it will no longer be a business as usual”.
According to him, governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu would not fold his arms and allow ‘miscreants’ to steal the natural gift belonging to the state for their selfish gains.
Olusina however said government was ready to partner with anyone ready to do legal business with the state irrespective of the tribe or origin.
The deputy chairman of the Concessionaires, Adeniyi Oloruntola said it was an aberration and that the union had taken a decision on encroachers over their illegal act.
He warned perpetrators to desist from the act.
The impounded five trucks numbered XA 891GBA,KT 384GBA,GR 715 XA,XD 519 MUS and XA 184 UMG were in the Ministry’s custody.
