Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has issued a 14-day ultimatum to kidnappers and other criminal elements operating in the state’s forest reserves to vacate the areas.
The directive was disclosed on Wednesday in Akure by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Forestry, Bidemi Obayangban, who said the move was part of efforts to restore security and protect legitimate economic activities across the forests.
Obayangban said the government had concluded plans to tackle kidnapping and other criminal activities in the forest reserves, with security agencies and hunters collaborating in the operation.
He said the administration was determined to reclaim the forests from criminal groups and create a secure environment for farmers, investors, 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 Obayangban, the government’s security strategy is aimed at taking the fight directly to criminal elements using the forests as hideouts.
“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,” he said.
He added that Aiyedatiwa favoured a discreet and action-oriented approach to security matters, while maintaining that the government would take steps to secure the 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 further linked the security operation to the government’s plans to revitalise Ondo’s forestry sector and attract investment, stressing that sustainable economic development would be difficult without adequate protection for people conducting lawful business in the forests.
