Ogun Council Boss curses Govt over ‘illegal shanties’ demolition

Ogun Council Boss curses Govt over ‘illegal shanties’ demolition

The Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government, Wale Adedayo, has lashed out at the Ogun State Government over an “act of arson and destructions” against people in the council.

Mr Adedayo, who posted on Facebook on Thursday, expressed displeasure with the government’s demolition of structures in the forest reserves in the local government.

“We cannot continue like this in Ijebu East Local Government. These are the poorest of the poor being dehumanised by destroying their farms and houses,” he said.

The Commissioner for Forestry, Tunji Akinosi, on Thursday, explained that the government has embarked on the removal of what he called ‘illegal shanties and enclaves’ from its forest reserves.

The commissioner said the exercise started last week at J1 and J3 forest reserves and would be continuous. He noted that the demolition was aimed at ridding the forest reserves of illegal occupants and loggers.

“It (the demolition exercise) is the removal of illegal shanties and enclaves in our forest reserves. It is not peculiar to Ijebu East J3.

“We were at J1 reserve on Thursday last week and it will be continuous as the government is desirous in ridding all our reserves.”

But Mr Adedayo, who belongs to the same All Progressives Congress as Governor Dapo Abiodun, criticised the demolition.

He said the “arson and other destructions” had been happening in J3, near Ogbere, since four days ago.

The council boss, who shared photos of the destroyed structures on his Facebook page, called on inhabitants of the community to return home and fight.

“A prince doesn’t fight like a slave. Go back to tradition. If they don’t return, let’s seek spiritual intervention,” Mr Adedayo wrote, in the Yoruba language.

“May their children die. May they themselves begin to see bad things. Go back home. Let’s return to our fathers. It’s time to go home.”

‘Drama’

Mr Akinosi described Mr Adedayo’s comment as dramatic, saying “this is drama.”

He asked the Local Government boss to contact the Ministry if he has any questions or needs any clarification.

“Please ask the chairman to get in touch with the Ministry of Forestry if he has questions or clarifications as I can inform you categorically that he has not informed or gotten in touch with us.”

Contacted, Mr Adedayo said he had reached out to the ministry.

TEXEM

“Yes I have contacted the ministry and I spoke with the permanent secretary and he confirmed that it was the government, from the ministry of forestry that carried out the act.”