Ban Ilesa mining activities, Oodua groups urge Oyetola

By Funso Adebola

A Pan Yoruba group has asked the Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola to ban mining activities in the state pending the return of normalcy in the Ilesa-Ife axis where aliens have renewed mining activities in recent weeks.

The group said it remains a surprise that while mining activities have been banned in Zamfara, the Government of Osun state has rather opened up a new vista for desperate miners mixed with armed groups who see Osun as their new haven.

“We have a precious information that a fresh, more violent group is already migrating to Osun in large numbers. They have been coming in the wee hours of the night in trailer loads. Ibodi, Ifewara and Iwaraja have become their new found habitat. Though some of the migrants are genuine miners, but there has been infiltration of the miner cells by armed insurgents moving in large numbers to dominate the Ilesa-Ife axis”, the group said.



In a statement issued on Monday and made available to Irohinoodua, the Apapo O’odua Koya, (AOKOYA) said the retention of mining activities in Osun state in the face of potential conflict will spell doom for peace and harmony in the area sooner than expected.

“We have a very important piece of information to share with Osun State Government. The Ilesa-Ife axis will soon become the hottest hub of migration of armed Fulani herdsmen from the Northern part of the country. They will be joined by armed insurgents who are already bracing up to hide under mining activities in Osun to seek a foothold for violent onslaught against the people of the South West”, the statement was signed by Col Abimbola Sowunmi (retd) and Ismail Abiodun on behalf of the group.

The group described the on-going mining activities in the area a ticking time-bomb that may explode at any time regretting that the two major political parties in the State, Peoples Democratic Party,(PDP) and the All Progressives Congress, (APC) leadership in the state have failed to condemn the obvious threat the large-scale migration pose to the livelihood of the people.

AOKOYA said: “ We call on your excellency, Gboyega Oyetola to recognize the primacy of human lives above every other consideration. Go ahead and ban or at least suspend mining activities in Osun State. You have to do this to honour the people who live in these communities and stop the inevitable break down of hostilities between locals and alien interests.”