Olufemi Adediran 
Ogun State government on Wednesday issued a quit notice to 17 communities, illegally occupying the elephant conservation area of Omo Forest Reserve in Ijebu- East/North Local Government Area of the State.
The government ordered the occupants of the forest reserve to vacate the area on or before January 15, 2024.
This is coming two days after Governor Dapo Abiodun accused some traditional rulers in the State of illegally selling government lands to “foreigners” for Indian hemp plantations.
The State Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, gave the order during a meeting with farmers, village heads and timber contractors at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the State capital.
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”.
The Commissioner disclosed that the 17 communities were identified to have encroached on the buffer zones of the forest reserve.
Oludotun noted that planting cocoa seedlings within the State’s forest reserves was illegal, warning that any cocoa seedlings found within the forest reserve 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found to be involved in cocoa plantation within the reserves, the government property hammer of such contractor will be withdrawn’’, he said.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Timothy Olatunji, called on timber contractors to cooperate with the Ministry to put an end to the unwholesome activities within the forest reserves.
Responding, the representatives of timber contractors, Kunle Kalejaye and Ranti Bambi, 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.
