Ogun govt orders 17 communities to evacuate forest reserve

17 communities in the Ijebu-East/North Local Government Area have been asked to leave the elephant conservation area in the Omo Forest Reserve by the Ogun State Government.

The communities were told to leave the area by January 15, 2024, at the latest, after being labelled "illegal farmers and timber contractors" by the government.

The directive was given by Taiwo Oludotun, the state commissioner for forestry, in a meeting at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, with farmers, village chiefs, and timber contractors.

Oludotun accused the 17 communities of invading the forest reserve's buffer zones in a statement issued on Wednesday by Luke Adebesin, the press officer for the ministry of forestry.

According to the commissioner, “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.”

Oludotun warned that any cocoa seedlings discovered within the forest after the departure date would be properly sanctioned, pointing out that it was unlawful to plant cocoa seedlings within the state's forest reserves.

“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found to be involved in cocoa plantation within the reserves, the government property hammer of such contractor will be withdrawn,” he said.

Mr. Timothy Olatunji, the Permanent Secretary, urged timber contractors to work with the ministry to stop "the unwholesome activities within the forest reserves" in his remarks.

Additionally, it was reported that the timber contractors' representatives, Kunle Kalejaye and Alhaja Ranti Bambi, expressed shock at the miscreants' disregard for government directives and pledged to support the Ministry's efforts to stop the illegal act.

Source