Stop spreading fake information, relocate killer elephants, residents tackle commissioner over killing of man in Ijebuland 

By Bose Adelaja 

CITIZENS COMPASS—Residents of Itasin-Imobi in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, yesterday, tackled the state Commissioner for Forestry, Oludotun Taiwo, over what they described as inaccurate information he dished out following the killing of a logger by a group of elephants.

Citizens Compass reported that the elephants killed the 49-year-old logger, Yayah Musa Kalamu, who was resting under a tree alongside his son, Korede.

Following the killing, the Commissioner had issued a series of information which the community considered to be false calling on him to address the situation.

The community expressed their views in a statement signed by Sanariu Abimbola, General Secretary, Imobi Elites Forum.

The statement titled, “Re: Elephant crisis in Itasin-Imobi – Our response to the Honourable Commissioner for Forestry’s statement,” reads:

“We, the Imobi Elites Forum, write on behalf of the entire people of Imobi in Ijebu East Local Government Area to express our appreciation to the Honourable Commissioner for Forestry and the relevant Ogun State ministries for the swift response to the recent tragic elephant incident in our land.

“However, in the spirit of truth and responsible dialogue, we must address and correct several inaccuracies in the Honourable Commissioner’s statement as reported in the media. These misrepresentations could distort public understanding of the situation and negatively impact government-community relations if left unchallenged.

Misrepresentation of Itasin-Imobi as a wildlife reserve

“The Honourable Commissioner stated that “the area where the incident occurred is a forest reserve designated for wildlife, but members of the public often ignore government warnings and venture too close to the area.”

“This is not accurate. Itasin farms and forests have never been declared a wildlife reserve by the Ogun State Government at any point known to us. If such a designation exists, we request verifiable proof. To date, there has been no signage, demarcation, or government barrier identifying our land as a reserve.

“We believe the Honourable Commissioner has mistaken our community for another location within the Omo Forest Reserve. Omo Forest is situated on the northern side of the Sagamu–Benin Expressway. Imobi, including Itasin, lies south of the highway and is not adjacent to Omo Forest. Elephants crossed this highway from Omo Forest to settle in our land. No member of our community, elderly or young, has ever known our land to be inhabited by elephants before their recent arrival.

False claims about sensitisation and government presence

“The Commissioner further claimed: “We’ve done a lot of sensitisation in that area. We’ve erected signboards, built barriers, and even demolished illegal settlements, but people keep going back.”

“With due respect, this assertion is entirely false. At no time has the Ogun State Government carried out any form of sensitisation, signposting, or barrier construction in our community. In fact, the only organisation that has made any effort to educate the residents of Itasin and Saga on the presence of elephants is the West Africa Biodiversity Conservation Trust (WABCT). This began around April/May 2018, when the elephants first migrated into our land.

Contrary to the impression given, our people have been mostly cooperative and respectful toward the elephants, except for a few individuals who may have acted otherwise.

On the size and status of the land

“The Commissioner is quoted as saying: “This forest spans over 6,000 hectares. It’s not a farm settlement, and we don’t expect people to reside there.”

“This again is misleading. The area the elephants now occupy spans approximately 60 square kilometres, not 6,000 hectares. But more importantly, this land is not a forest reserve. Itasin is an ancient community, inhabited and cultivated for centuries. It is not an illegal settlement.

“Itasin is home to the second-oldest Catholic Church in Nigeria, established in 1864. It is deeply rooted in history, culture, and continuity. While we lack essential amenities like clean water, electricity, motorable roads, and reliable network service, we have never ceased to contribute meaningfully to the state’s economy through farming and logging.

Absence of rangers and government monitoring

“The Commissioner’s statement suggests that government forest rangers regularly patrol and monitor the area. Again, this is not true for Itasin. There has never been any ranger presence in our forest or on our farms. This reinforces our position that our community is being wrongly equated with areas inside the Omo Forest Reserve, where such monitoring might exist.

“The elephants have been observed grazing dangerously close to people’s homes and farms, particularly at night. Residents live in fear, not by choice, but because they have been abandoned to deal with a situation they neither caused nor are equipped to handle.

Our Demand: Relocate the elephants and educate our people

We respectfully call on the government to take responsibility by working with wildlife experts and conservationists to relocate the elephants back to their natural habitat in Omo Forest Reserve. Until that is achieved, we welcome continued engagement with organisations like WABCT to educate our people on safe, peaceful coexistence with these animals.

Clarifying the recent tragedy

We must also correct the misleading tone of the Commissioner’s remarks regarding the tragic death of Mr. Kallam Musa, who was killed in the elephant incident on 28 July 2025. The suggestion that “elephants do not attack unless provoked” fails to recognise that our people are still unfamiliar with elephant behaviour. The presence of elephants in Itasin is still new and deeply unsettling. The government must recognise this gap and assist, not blame, our people for their lack of awareness.

Logging regulation and community rights

We support efforts to regulate logging and eliminate illegal practices. However, we must reiterate that Imobi forest is not a government reserve. It is the heritage of our people: our farms, our forest, our livelihood. Any regulatory efforts must first acknowledge this fact and involve the community in decision-making.

Final note

“In conclusion, it is clear that there has been a mix-up, likely due to a lack of accurate information or poor handling by the Commissioner’s media team. But the consequences of such a mix-up are grave; our community is being wrongly labelled, our suffering ignored, and our future threatened.

“We urge the Ogun State Government to urgently review its records and statements and engage directly with community leaders and residents of Itasin-Imobi to find lasting solutions.

“We remain committed to dialogue, peace, and cooperation, but not at the cost of our land, lives, or legacy.”

Contrary to some reports that the deceased was a farmer, some residents of the community who spoke with Citizens Compass said Kalamu met his untimely death while felling logs of wood in the forest.

Citizens Compass reported that he was a member of Itasi and Ilumoye Development, an association known for logging of wood in the area.

In the midst of this, residents of Itasin-Imobi community blamed the state government for insensitivity and negligence for the past seven years.

Citizens Compass learnt that from nowhere, the group of elephants migrated to the thick forest in Itasin-Imobi in 2018.

Sensing danger, the community leaders wrote a series of letters notifying the Ogun State Government about the migration but it is sad to hear that there was no cogent response till date.

Residents said the elephants sometimes come out of the forest to stay near the community but there was no record of fatality like that of Monday, as the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Felix Adegbesan, the Onitasin of Itasin-Imobi, was able to control the excesses of the loggers unfortunately he joined his ancestors about a year ago.

Citizens Compass learnt that the loggers association seized the advantage of the demise of the monarch to grow their excesses as their members were said to have scattered themselves into the forest to locally log wood.

With the logging, the forest was said to have become uncomfortable for the elephants which usually troop out of the forest incase of logging.

Residents are calling on Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to use his good office to relocate the killer elephants.