The Ogun State Government has asked 17 communities in the Ijebu-East/North Local Government Area to vacate the elephant conservation area in the Omo Forest Reserve.
The communities, whom the government tagged “illegal farmers and timber contractors,” were ordered to vacate the area on or before January 15, 2024.
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The state commissioner for forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, gave the order during a meeting with farmers, village heads, and timber contractors at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
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Oludotun, through a release by the Press Officer, Ministry of Forestry, Luke Adebesin, on Wednesday, accused the 17 communities of encroaching on the buffer zones of the forest reserve.
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According to Oludotun, “The 17 communities are: Eseke, Tamitami, Bridge, Korede, Fatai, Sojukorodo, Etemi- Gerade, Onigburugburu, Erifun, Aba Alhaja, Erimogan, Ologunna, Ori Apata, Imaba, Apora, Fatai 2, and Yomi Iga.”
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The commissioner pointed out that planting cocoa seedlings within the state’s forest reserves was illegal, warning that any cocoa seedlings found within the forest after the exit date would be duly sanctioned.
“The state Ministry of Forestry will not fold its arm and allow illegalities to continue within its forest reserves. Any timber contractor found to be involved in cocoa plantations within the reserves will have the government property hammer withdrawn,” he said.
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In response, the representatives of timber contractors, Kunle Kalejaye and Alhaja Ranti Bambi, were said to have expressed dismay at the violation of the government’s directive by some miscreants, promising to complement the Ministry’s efforts in curbing the illicit act.
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