Eight suspects have been
arrested in Ogun State for allegedly killing an elephant in a game reserve; in
a bid to sell its tusk for about N25 million each.
The Ogun State Commissioner for
Forestry, Ayo Olubori, made the disclosure to journalists on Sunday, adding
that the suspects committed the crime at a border area between J1 and J3 in Ijebu-Igbo,
Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state.
He said the suspects confessed
that prominent people in the society gave them the contract to get them the
elephant tusks.
The commissioner said he had to
pass a night in the jungle after a-three hour journey within the forest before
the suspects were arrested, describing the suspects action as a very serious
crime.
He told journalists that the
elephant was killed in the wee hours of Thursday by one of the suspects after
encroaching on the forest which is exclusively reserved for elephants. He was
later joined by some villagers.
Mr. Olubori said the suspect and
the villagers have been taken to a police station in Ijebu-Igbo for further
interrogation.
”The suspected killer of the
wild animal was arrested on the spot at 1a.m. after a-three hour journey into
the forest reserve. The animal is an endangered specie, we have them limited.
If care is not taken, they may go into extinction. We don’t want to be
sanctioned by wild life activists, United Nations Prohibition of endangered
species among others.
”We will charge the suspects to
court hopefully by Monday. Preliminary report of the investigation has shown
that, the man was sent by some prominent people in the society to get them the
elephants tusks which cost N25 million each, he has confessed to the crime and
he is on tape,” the commissioner said.(Premium Times)
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