OSUN: Forest Encroachers Arrested For Operating Illegally At Ile - Ife

Two persons have so far been arrested in an operation to crack down on illegal encroachment in forest reserves in the State of Osun. The arrest was made in F3 forest reserve via Ologan area of Shasha reserve in Ile Ife during a three days mop up exercise by the team of Forestry Officials led by the zonal forestry programme officer, assisted by Agro Rangers unit of NSCDC, Osun Command, Ife Timber Contractor's Task Force and local hunters.
The mop up exercise was targeted at stopping illegal activities in forest reserves and also clamping down on poachers from falling of economic trees in Ile Ife forest reserves.

The exercise which lasted between 16th to 18th of February, 2020 witnessed exchanges of gun shots between men of the of NSCDC and the flitchers.
Two persons known as, Mr. Asekunle Rasheed and Olasupo Nuru both operating illegally on the F3 forest reserve were arrested while one man identified as Alhaji Mukaila fled the scene, he has since been declared wanted for trespassing and conspiring to flitch illegally in government forest reserve.
Those arrested have been handed over to security outfits for proper prosecution.

It was discovered during the mop up exercise that several species of economic tree have been vanderlized by the illegal encroachers. Over five truck loads of planks were recovered. The planks were evacuated to Araromi Oke Odo for safe keeping. Also, five Motorcycles and four felling machines that were used to perpetrate this evil act were recovered from the culprits.
The Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation Hon. Sola Oladepo expressed worries over the devastating impacts of vandals and the illegal encroachment of forest reserves in the state. He noted that he had given the necessary support to officials of the Forestry Department to conserve and protect various species of economic trees. He mandated all forest guards, boundary guards and task forces to synergise in other to arrest and prosecute all illegal operators within the forest reserves in the state of Osun.