Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has given kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the state’s forest reserves 14 days to vacate the forests.
The Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Forestry, Bidemi Obayangban, disclosed this on Wednesday in Akure during an interview with journalists.
Obayangban said the directive was specifically targeted at criminals using the forests as hideouts, stressing that the government was determined to restore security and create a safe environment for legitimate economic activities.
He said security was essential to the state government’s plans to develop the forestry sector, attract investment and protect farmers, timber contractors and other legitimate operators.
“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.
According to him, the Aiyedatiwa administration had concluded plans to tackle kidnapping and other criminal activities within the state’s forests.
He said security agencies and local hunters across Ondo State were collaborating with the government as part of efforts to reclaim the forest reserves from criminals.
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“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,” Obayangban said.
He added that Governor Aiyedatiwa preferred a discreet and action-oriented approach to security matters but remained determined to restore safety across the state’s forest reserves.
“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.
Obayangban said reclaiming the forests was also central to the government’s broader plan to revitalise the forestry sector and promote legitimate economic activities.
He stressed that sustainable economic growth would be difficult to achieve in an environment where farmers, investors and other legitimate operators remained exposed to insecurity.