Farmers In Ondo Forest Reserves Are Illegal Occupants – State Govt

Ondo State Government has reiterated its stand that it will not allow farming and hunting in its forest reserves any longer.

The government noted that those operating in the forest reserves are engaging in illegal acts, adding that such acts will not be tolerated again.

Reacting to some protesting farmers’ claim on the ownership of Forests Reserves in the State, the commissioner for information and orientation, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola- Olateju, insisted that the Reserves belong to the government.

There have been protests by the farmers that have plantations in the Forest Reserves as the State moves to hand them over to some Foreign Partners for industrialization.

Bamidele Ademola- Olateju said “Forest Reserves in Ondo State, like others in Nigeria, were primarily created to serve as sanctuaries for endangered species of plants and animals and to preserve forests for the benefit of mankind.

“Forest Reserves are government-owned, and the government of Ondo State declares categorically, that, farming and hunting in its forest reserves are illegal acts.

“It is called encroachment and poaching respectively, and it will not be tolerated.

“We admit that our Forest Reserves harbor squatters. Even though we have legal rights to evict those who encroach on government land without let nor hindrance, we have not done that”.