The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has directed the immediate dissolution of all members of the vigilante group in Inikorogha, Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state accused of supporting illegal wood loggers and other criminal elements in the area.
Obaseki gave the directive after a fact-finding mission to the community with a team of security agencies including the police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Services (DSS) and National Park Rangers, among others.
The governor who promised to complete the Inikorogha Community Road, said security has been enhanced in the area to keep off illegal loggers and other criminal elements.
He said, “I am here to see how we can move things forward. By next week, bulldozers will resume work on the construction of your road; you need to have access to your community. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) awarded this road, but they failed to start the work.
“The contractor will start work by next week. We are dissolving all the vigilante groups assisting those involved in illegal logging and we are hiring able-bodied young men and women from this community to protect our forest and fight against illegal logging.”
“I have provided for marine boots to patrol our waterways. Those involved in illegal logging must stop because if you cut down those trees, you won’t be able to live here.”
“I don’t want to hear of any attack on Okomu National Forest again; if I hear of any, I will go after them and make them face the law,” he said.
Reaffirming improved security in the area and plans for an Edo Forestry Law to impose stricter penalties for illegal loggers, Obaseki said, “Before now, what we had as a law did not have real penalties. It was more like a slap on the hand; the law just provided for your logs to be seized.
“With the current law, it goes beyond seizing; we will prosecute and convict people who are logging illegally and who are doing things against the spirit of the forestry law in Edo”, he said.
Earlier, the youth Chairman of Inikorogha, Mr. Favour Arigban, claimed that he was chased away from his community by some criminal elements because he was dedicated to fighting illegal logging and protecting the Okomu National Forest.
