The Oyo State Government says it is investigating the immigration status of two Chinese nationals who are said to be the leaders of some illegal mining operations in the state.
The government said it has also arrested four individuals due to their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities in the state.
Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed this while addressing journalists shortly after inspecting a yard around Idi Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area, along the Ibadan-Lagos Express Road, on Saturday.
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The governor, who expressed dismay at the activities of the suspects, said, based on available records, the Yard was approved to be a recycling plant for tyres and batteries, but it was discovered, through intelligence gathering, that the operators have been using the Yard to crush lithium, among other illicit mining activities.
Makinde lamented that the illegal miners seem to be getting bolder by the day due to the support they enjoy from supposed powers that be and constitutional provisions where they get licences from Abuja without input from the state government, noting, however, that anytime issues arise from their activities, the state government is left to bear the brunt alone.
He said: “This place, according to records available to us, was meant to be a yard to recycle tyres and batteries, but coming in here, you can see their operations. You can’t find a single battery or a single tyre here. They are crushing lithium here, and unfortunately, they have support from all over. Preliminary investigation indicated that two Chinese nationals are the ones leading this.
“They also have a lawyer from Katsina. Some of the workers, too, are from Zamfara. I think it is still the same thing about the constitutional provisions where they issue licences to miners in Abuja without the state government having an input and once we have the fallout, the state government will bear the brunt,” the governor asserted.
Makinde disclosed that the state government is already seeking information from the Immigration Service about the Chinese nationals, and once evidence is established against them, the foreigners will be prosecuted according to the law, noting that the state is not against the business prosperity of investors, but such must be achieved within the ambits of the laws of the state.
He said, “We will keep trying to foster cooperation among all the stakeholders. Yes, we want businesses to thrive in Oyo State, but local laws must be obeyed. We are not saying don’t come to Oyo State, but we are saying, when you come in here, you should obey the local laws. So, that is where we are.
“All of these items will be moved. The state government will take over the facility via a court process. This is a clear violation of the Executive Order that I signed. It is a problem that we have to address. First, we need to get to the bottom of all of these, but in the meantime, this facility will be taken over by the government of Oyo State,“ the governor stated.
At the yard, two heavy trucks, crushing machines, and crushed and bagged lithium, which were stacked to be loaded into the trucks, were observed. One of the trucks was also observed to be loaded with bagged lithium.
Top government functionaries who accompanied the governor on the inspection were the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo; Special Adviser (Security), CP Fatai Owoseni (Rtd.); Executive Assistant on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (Rtd.); and the State Commandant, Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun Corps, Colonel Olayinka Olayanju (Rtd).
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