Director of Imo State Forestry Mrs. Onwuchi Sabina has decried the destruction of over 370,000 plant seedlings at Ekugba forestry reserve in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state by youths from the area.

The director told Daily Trust in Owerri yesterday that the plant seedlings were part of the seedlings that were raised in the reserve land measuring 100,000 hectares during the last production exercise in the state under the presidential initiative.

She said the seedlings were kept in the reserve land waiting for re- planting to various part of the state before the youths from the area invaded the land, destroyed them and converted the land into regular farming work for themselves for crops and other farm produce.

Mrs. Sabina also regretted that several representations regarding the "ugly development" have been made and submitted to government for action but to no avail.