The suspects planned to sell the elephant’s tusk for N25 million.
Eight suspects have been arrested in Ogun State for allegedly killing an elephant in a game reserve; in a bid to sell its tusk for about N25 million each.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Ayo Olubori, made the disclosure to journalists on Sunday, adding that the suspects committed the crime at a border area between J1 and J3 in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of the state.
He said the suspects confessed that prominent people in the society gave them the contract to get them the elephant tusks.
The commissioner said he had to pass a night in the jungle after a-three hour journey within the forest before the suspects were arrested, describing the suspects action as a very serious crime.
He told journalists that the elephant was killed in the wee hours of Thursday by one of the suspects after encroaching on the forest which is exclusively reserved for elephants. He was later joined by some villagers.
Mr. Olubori said the suspect and the villagers have been taken to a police station in Ijebu-Igbo for further interrogation.
”The suspected killer of the wild animal was arrested on the spot at 1a.m. after a-three hour journey into the forest reserve. The animal is an endangered specie, we have them limited. If care is not taken, they may go into extinction. We don’t want to be sanctioned by wild life activists, United Nations Prohibition of endangered species among others.
”We will charge the suspects to court hopefully by Monday. Preliminary report of the investigation has shown that, the man was sent by some prominent people in the society to get them the elephants tusks which cost N25 million each, he has confessed to the crime and he is on tape,” the commissioner said.
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