15 Illegal Miners Arrested In Osun
No fewer than 15 illegal miners were arrested while hundreds flee during a raid on illegal miners in Osun State just as Government warned against illegal mining activities in some parts of the state.
It said that the practice constituted a huge menace to the farm lands, forest reserves as well as in cocoa plantations and vegetation where the activities are carried out by illegal miners.
The Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Forestry, Natural and Mineral Resources, Tunde Ajilore, who led the raid to Epe, Igbadae, Igun, among other communities in Atakumosa West local government areas of the State warned perpetrators to desist or be ready to face the full wrath of law.
Ajilore lamented that hundreds of illegal miners had taken over several hectares of cocoa farms and plantations in the areas and other parts of the state in search of gold and other mineral resources.
He noted that the miners, had been making cheap money from the illicit practice with impunity and without government licence.
When he led officers of security agencies, including soldiers, police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to raid them Wednesday, Ajilore warned perpetrators to desist from the act or risk arrest and prosecution.
Over 200 illegal miners scampered to safety, leaving their work tools such as pumping machines, pans, shovels, cutlasses, jiggers behind during the raid.
Ajilore also warned culprits identified as pirates who were alleged to have contracted the miners to engage in the deal, to stop the act or be ready to face the wrath of the law.
He disclosed that government had placed a ban on mining activities in the state till further notice.
Ajilore and his entourage who included government officials and security agencies, visited leaders of the communities which have been the operational bases of the mining activities to register government’s grievances.
He charged them to call the illegal miners to order and ensure immediate relocation of the miners.
The traditional ruler of Igbadae community, Oba Olaosebikan Olanrewaju, however, alleged that government agencies had been collecting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) tickets from the miners and their contractors.
