Oyo Shuts Illegal Mining Factory, Arrests Suspects
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has announced the arrest of the individuals involved in the illegal processing of mined minerals at a facility in Idi-Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area of the state. This disclosure was made in a post on his official handle on Saturday, February 24.
The governor highlighted that the operation came as part of ongoing efforts to prevent a reoccurrence of the Bodija explosion. Makinde wrote, “In our efforts to prevent a recurrence of the Bodija Incident, we were at Idi-Ayunre, following a tip-off about a facility which was being used to process illegally mined minerals.”
“I can report that those involved have been arrested and are in custody and we are working to prosecute them,” he added. “Our government has also taken over the facility pending the investigations and prosecution. We were able to apprehend the culprits because the government and citizens worked together in a timely manner to bust their operations.”
Makinde also addressed the status of the individuals implicated in the Bodija Incident, stating, “Let me take this opportunity to report that we are still trying to extradite the Malians indicted in the Bodija Incident who are on the run.”
He urged continued support for the state’s efforts to rid itself of illegal activities, saying, “Please continue to support our efforts to rid our State of illegal activities. If you see something, say something and the authorities will do something. 615 is the toll-free number to call when you notice any security breaches.”
The Bodija incident, which occurred on January 16, 2024, involved an explosion reported to be caused by illegally stored explosives in a residential area.
Source: X | seyiamakinde