Aliyu Tashas, the chairman of the Toto local council in Nasarawa, has ordered immediately suspending all forest activities within the local government area.

This is contained in a statement by Yahaya Toto, senior special assistant (SSA) to the Toto LGA chairman on media and communications in Toto on Sunday.

“Some criminals have turned the forests into their hideouts where they waylay, ambush, and kidnap farmers, timber operators and other innocent citizens,” said Mr Toto. 

He added, “Forests within the council have also become places where kidnappers held their victims to, and continue to demand ransom and in several cases kill their victims, revealing that two persons have been killed in one of the forests.”

The chairman said he was making security arrangements to flush out the bandits and kidnappers. He urged local council residents to be vigilant to avoid falling victim.

”Those with genuine businesses in the forests should suspend their activities because the government will not sit by and allow miscreants to threaten the peace of the progressive people of the Toto local government area,” he said. 

(NAN)