Ogun warns against territory encroachment

The Ogun State Government has warned communities sharing boundary with the state to stop encroaching into the forest reserves, as trespassers would be dealt with in accordance with the rule of law.
The State Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal gave the warning while speaking with the residents of Odo-Oha in Imeko Afon Local Government area of the State, while on a working visit to Imeko Forest Reserve.
Lawal who said his visit to the reserve was one of his official visit to the State’s Forest reserves to enable him have first-hand information about the reserve and also to access the situation of the reserve, know the challenges militating against the maintenance and sustenance of the forest reserves as well as proffer solution to their plights.
He said there had been series of complaints from the people of the community on the invasion of the forest reserve by neighbouring State, noting that the Ministry had no right to discuss land dispute matters as the National and State Boundary Commissions are saddled with the responsibility.
The Commissioner advised that whoever is interested in operating in the State forest reserves for any reason should approach the Ministry of Forestry for clarification.
“We have been inundated with complaints by the people of this community of the invasion of our forest reserve by some people from the neighbouring State, there are trees (Melina) planted by the State Government four/five years ago, which shows that this Forest reserve is owned by the State Government, but we don’t have the right to discuss boundary matters, as the State Government will not tolerate any invasion, trespasses or encroachment on any of our forest reserves’’. Lawal said.
In the same vein, a resident of the Community Mr. Oluwole Adisa said that some hooligans and land grabber recently invaded the community in order of the Ejio mornach front Oyo state in anticipation to encroach some lands, adding that those land grabbers were beaten them to stupor.
He stated further that the land belong to Ogun State Government in all ramifications, as they have forest reserve here, we have been living here for years and the State had been taken care of us, saying that some hooligans/land grabbers just emerge from the blues and claiming the land.
“We are at home one day when we hear about gunshot everywhere, we are started running helter-skelter for safety from these land grabbers, they intend to kill us but thank God we survives the calamity”, Adisa said.