The Kwara State Forestry Monitoring Committee has arrested 15 foreigners for alleged felling of economic trees in the state.

The suspects who were said to be illegal aliens from Niger Republic were arrested  at Wooro village in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, where they illegally cut down some economic trees.

The foreign nationals allegedly connived with the traditional head of the area to engage in the deforestation activities after they illegally entered the country.

It was gathered that the forestry task force arrested the suspects following a tip-off that some people were in the bush illegally cutting down trees.

They were subsequently arrested with a truck with registration number Zamfara SD 490 GUS loaded with logs already cut to size.

The Forestry Chief Superintendent, Mr. James Fadipe, said that the task force worked on the information that some foreigners had invaded Wooru village, adding that they immediately swung into action to arrest them with their operational vehicle.

The leader of the group, Waziri Ibrahim, a farmer in Niger Republic, claimed that the Magaji of Wooru village permitted them to fell the trees in the village, adding that they gave him N4, 000 for the gesture.

According to him, they stayed in the village for 22 days before they were apprehended by the ministry of environment and forestry, Ilorin.

Waziri said that they were employed by one Abubakar Idris of Ilela village, a town between Sokoto State and Niger Republic.

He said, “Abubakar provided the truck and the driver, one Lawal Bako, who will return us to Ilela village before we will board another vehicle to Niger Republic,” he added.

He said that each of the logs cost between N2, 000 and N3, 000 in Niger Republic, as it is used for processing and storing grains on the farm.

When the Kwara State Police Command Headquarters, Ilorin, was contacted on the issue, their spokesman, DSP Olufemi Fabode, confirmed the arrest, but said the suspects had been handed over to the immigration for necessary action.

 While speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, Mr Anthony Towoju, commended the newly constituted forestry monitoring committee for being proactive on government policy on deforestation in Kwara State.

Mr Towoju noted that state government has invested much on sensitisation campaigns against misuse of forest reserves which has caused several climatic challenges in the state.

The commissioner disclosed that economic trees like Bombas (Ose), Shea Butter (Emi) and Locust Bean (Igba) were destroyed in Wooru village.

He pointed out that the estimated cost of the woods felled was over a million naira.

While warning other village heads to desist from aiding and abetting illegal activities in their domainsP, the commissioner called the citizenry to support the government’s effort at ensuring that more trees are planted to protect the environment form total degradation.