Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has given criminals operating in the state’s forest reserves 14 days to vacate the forests.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Forestry, Bidemi Obayangban, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Akure.
Obayangban said the directive was primarily targeted at kidnappers and other criminal elements using the forests as hideouts.
He said the move was part of the state government’s efforts to strengthen security, create a safe environment for legitimate economic activities and attract investment into the forestry sector.
According to him, security is critical to the government’s plans to develop the sector and ensure the safety of investors, farmers, timber contractors and other legitimate operators in the state’s forest reserves.
“A vision without maximum security to ensure the safety of investors, farmers, timber contractors and those conducting legitimate business across Ondo State’s forest reserves is effectively meaningless,” he said.
Obayangban said the administration had concluded plans to tackle kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state’s forests.
He added that security agencies and hunters across the state were collaborating with the government to restore security to the forest reserves.
“Consequently, the primary focus of the Aiyedatiwa administration is to flush out criminal elements from our forests. We are taking the battle directly to them.
“The government is fully committed to this objective and has finalised comprehensive plans to eliminate kidnapping and other illegal activities within our borders,” he said.
Obayangban said Governor Aiyedatiwa preferred a discreet and action-oriented approach to security matters but stressed that the administration was determined to reclaim the forests from criminal elements.
“I am using this opportunity to announce that the state government is giving these individuals 14 days to vacate Ondo State forests.
“Failure to comply will result in them meeting their Waterloo,” he said.
He said restoring security in the forests was also critical to the government’s broader plans to revitalise the forestry sector and promote legitimate economic activities.
According to him, the administration recognises that sustainable economic growth cannot be achieved in an environment where farmers, investors and other legitimate operators are exposed to insecurity.
NAN
