Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has cautioned some traditional rulers in the state against the sale of lands belonging to the State Government.
The caution was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Lekan Adeniran.
The statement, made available to newsmen on Monday, further indicated that the warning was issued at a meeting the governor had with the state Council of Traditional Rulers.
Abiodun warned that his administration would take disciplinary action against any person found selling land in its forest reserves and plantations across the state.
He described as unpatriotic the actions of the perpetrators, including some Obas.
According to the statement, the governor said: “We will continue to seek your support in the area of lands.
“Sadly, cases have been reported to us here in Abeokuta about some of our traditional rulers who have taken upon themselves to allocate government land, government forest reserve and plantations to others.
“They have been allocating and selling government lands.
“I have found this very difficult to believe.
“Our traditional rulers are colluding with people from outside Ogun and giving our land to them in our plantations and they are coming there, deforesting them.
“They are destroying the plantation.
“They are planting cannabis sativa there.
“I was completely heartbroken when I heard this news and when we actually checked, we found it was true.”
The Governor further said that as a responsible government, “we will not have any choice but to take disciplinary action against any person found culpable of such an act, be it traditional rulers”.
He told the royal fathers that his administration was making an effort to bring more investors to invest in the state.
He expressed gratitude to the Obas for their support during and after the governorship election.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, was reported to have acknowledged the cordial relationship between the State Government and the traditional institution.
Hamzat pointed out that the partnership had brought about peace at the grassroots.
