Illegal loggers

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Three notorious illegal loggers have been arrested at the Okomu High Conservation value area (HCV), Edo State, with over 35 highly-endangered species of timber, loaded in three lorries.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Lucky Wasa, disclosed this during a chat with journalists in Benin.

He added that over 979 logs of various timber species stolen by illegal loggers at the the riverine areas of Nikorowa and Gelegele Communities, in Ovia South West Area of the state, were recovered by the state government.

A detachment of operatives of the the Ministry’s log control department, in collaboration with concerned Ijaw indigenes from the creeks of Nikiorowa, Okomu Ijaw, Gelegele and security operatives, stormed the riverine areas, along the stretch between Gelegele and Nikorowa, where they discovered the theft and the recovery of the stolen logs.

Wasa warned illegal loggers that the ministry “will not condone any act capable of undermining the state government’s strategies towards its forest protection and preservation.”

It would be recalled that illegal loggers at the Okomu high conservative value area have over the years become notorious for their lawless attacks the facility, which has depleted the conservation plants.