Crime

NSCDC Apprehends 10 Suspected Illegal Miners in Oyo

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By Rasheedah Makinde

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has apprehended ten suspected illegal miners at Ona Ara Local government area of Oyo state. 

The ten suspected illegal miners were paraded at the NSCDC headquarters, Agodi, Ibadan by the Oyo state Commandant of the corps, Mr Augustine Padonu, (MRM).

Parading  the suspects, the NSCDC commandant in Oyo state, Mr Padonu said the suspects were apprehended through a tip-off by gallant officers and some members of the public. 

Mr Padonu explained that, the suspects specialized in illegal mining of solid mineral resources such as lithium, Beryllium, and Tourmaline. 

He said despite the Government’s efforts at tackling illegal mining, the menace still persisted, hence the need for collaboration of all security agencies, as well as members of the public to wage war against the act. 

He pointed out that, the suspects were found at a mining site at Elese Erin village, Ona Ara Local government area of Oyo state.

Mr Padonu, therefore, called on those that have turned illegal mining to a lucrative business to desist from the act or face the consequences. 

One of the alleged illegal miners, Adeoti Kolawole who denied the allegations leveled against him claimed that he got his licence from the Oyo state Government.

He said he had been exploring at the site in Elese Erin village solid mineral suspected to be Tourmaline in Ona Ara local government area of Oyo state for some years .

Kolawole said he was shocked and surprised when he was arrested for operating illegally as all his papers were legitimate. 

It would be recalled that, an explosion occurred at Bodija on January 16 this year when some illegal miners kept explosive devices where some lives were lost and millions of property were also destroyed.

Crime

Miners NEC Pledges Support for Initiative to Unravel Perpetrators of Bodija Explosion

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By Iyabo Adebisi

The Board of Trustees and the National Executive Council of Miners

Association of Nigeria has commiserated with the government and the people of Oyo State over the unfortunate incident of an explosion occasioned by illegally stockpiling of explosives in a residential property in a highbrow old Bodija GRA of Ibadan metropolis. 

In a statement signed by the National President, Dele Ayanleke and the National Publicity, Secretary, Fatai Jimoh expresses sympathy to the direct victims of this dastardly act. 

The statement appreciates Governor Seyi Makinde’s prompt response to the situation. 

It pledges support to all initiatives aimed at unravelling the perpetrators of this crime, with the view to bringing them to book to serve as deterrents to other criminal elements in the association. 

It also calls members, across our various chapters, to be wary of those they partner with, and to expose all shady characters, parading themselves as operators in the sector, to the appropriate authorities to save the sector from every form of illegality and criminality.

“While we pray for the repose of the souls of the departed in eternal bliss, it is also our prayers that God will uphold their dependents, heal the injured and restore all material losses”.

“Miners Association of Nigeria hereby expresses our deep appreciation to His

Excellency, Engr Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, The Executive Governor of Oyo State, for his prompt response to this emergency by facilitating immediate succour to the victims”.

“We are not less grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his directive to the National Emergency Management Agency, to provide all necessary reliefs to the victims”

“On our part, we hereby pledge our support to all initiatives aimed at unravelling the perpetrators of this crime, with the view to bringing them to book to serve as deterrents to other criminal elements among us, who paint operators in the Solid Minerals Sector in a bad light”.

“We further affirm our commitments to the continued collaboration with all tiers of government, their agencies and all stakeholders to end all forms of illegality in the Solid Minerals value-chain, to bequeath to the present and future generations of our nation, a sector that can provide the much-desired pivot for the diversification and broadening of our national economy”.

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Foreign

15 Trapped Zimbabwe Miners Rescued

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All fifteen miners trapped in a Zimbabwean gold mine for four days have been rescued.

Mines Minister Soda Zhemu said the workers were healthy and conscious.

The Redwing gold mine owned by Metallon Corporation caved in after the shaft collapsed on Thursday.

Officials said an earth tremor might have caused the accident.

Families of the trapped workers have been camping at the mine site in the mining village of Penhalongato – 270 km (167 miles) east of the capital Harare – waiting for the rescue.

The area is home to many undocumented workers who scrape a living amid economic hardship.

BBC/Simeon Ugbodovon

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Environment

Osun Govt. Decries Activities of Miners

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By Folake Oye

Osun State Government has warned miners in the State to desist from improper excavation of mining sites and ensure that they treat water coming from the excavation sites before it is being released into the Osun River. 

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment and Sanitation, Mr. Oladele Olawuni gave the warning while speaking at the flag-off of the reclamation of the Osun River in one of its tributories at Idominasi(do-mi-do-do-do) as part of activities lined up to commemorate 2023 World Environment Day. 

Mr. Olawuni stressed that the activities of the miners had made it important for the State Government to look into ways to make the water safe for use.

He said the State Government has observed that the activities of the miners have continued to have adverse effects on some tributaries that run into Osun River thereby making it necessary for the renewing of Osun River. 

The Permanent Secretary admonished the miners to always follow the procedures for mining in order to make the communities around the excavation sites safe for living .

He however disclosed that the Ministry would continue to monitor them and any miner found to have gone against the rules and regulations set for them will be sanctioned and if possible, get his or her contract terminated.

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