Killers Of 4 Elephants Still On The Run

Three persons whom Police and the Cross River Forestry Commission sources described as the “wrong persons”   were arrested  for killing elephants at the Oban Forest Reserve while the real culprit and his accomplices are still on the run.

Mr Arikpo Arikpo, the Commissioner of Forestry for the north east zone of the state  said Felix Ikiomo, the former councillor representing Ekuri Ward in Akamkpa Local Government  Area and his three accomplices are still on the run.

Arikpo alleged that the councillor was the one who bought the guns and ammunition and gave to Elihah and two other persons to kill the elephants so he could sell the animals’ tusks in Europe where it is turned to ivory. The elephants, Arikpo said, graze between the Katamanga Mountains in Cameroon and the Ekuri Forests in Etung.

“Between the months of May and June these elephants migrate from the Katamanga Mountains in the Cameroons to the Ekuri Forest because the environment in the forest is conducive for them; it is during this period that these hoodlums waylay and kill them and take away their tusks and sell to their agents.”

He told P.M.NEWS that so far the people have killed about five elephants and the Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke is very angry with what Ikiomo and his gang has done.

“The presence of elephants in our forest indicates that the forest has integrity and this forms the planks of our tourism drive. And for anyone to cause a setback to this drive because of greed is wicked and unacceptable,” he said.

Mr Arikpo said he has instructed the police to release the three persons so far arrested and continue the hunt for the real culprits who if found guilty are liable to two years imprisonment. “No matter how long they remain hibernating in that forest they shall be caught and made to face the laws of the state because we are not finding their action funny.”

—Emma Una/Calabar