The Ogun State Government has ordered the demolition of a bridge worth N20 million constructed in a remote area in Ijebu East Local Government by yet to ascertain persons.
The bridge, it was gathered links the state to Ondo State as it is built across Oluwo river to link Omo Forest in Area J4 to a village in the other state.
It was, however, learnt that some illegal loggers, who have been engaging in illegal felling of tree, had tasked themselves to begin the construction of a bridge in the state government forest reserve.
On Saturday, the state Commissioner for Forestry, Hon. Tunji Akinosi was said to have led a monitoring team to Laagan village where he saw the 50-metre long bridge.
A statement by the Information Officer of the Ministry, Soji Solarin, stated that the Commissioner ordered that the bridge, which is almost completed, be destroyed within two weeks.
According to Akinosi, those constructing the bridge were doing so to have easy transportation of stolen state’s forest resources by illegal loggers and taken away to neighbouring states.
He disclosed that some unscrupulous elements are behind the illegal bridge, saying it must have gulped about N15 to N20 million.
He threatened to arrest and prosecute settlers keeping illegal arms to perpetrate crimes in the area.
“Armed soldiers would remain part of the frequent monitoring exercises in order to prevent banditry which is becoming prevalent nationwide,” he said.
