Daud Olatunji
Tension reportedly heightened in Ibodi, Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, on Tuesday when council chairmen from the Ijesa South Federal Constituency and military personnel had a confrontation during an enforcement operation against alleged illegal mining activities.
The confrontation occurred as the council chairmen, accompanied by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police Force, moved to mining communities following complaints from residents over alleged environmental degradation, destruction of farmlands and security concerns associated with mining activities.
The council chairmen alleged that military personnel at one of the mining sites prevented their team from carrying out an enforcement exercise, particularly an attempt to stop the collection of levies and issuance of tickets to mining operators.
The development reportedly created a standoff between the two sides before the intervention of the member representing Ijesa South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sanya Omirin, and senior police officers restored calm.
The enforcement team subsequently proceeded to Ijana Wasare, where it announced the closure of mining sites described as illegal and directed that the issuance of tickets to unlicensed miners should stop.
Speaking after the exercise, the Chairman of Ilesa West Local Government, Lanre Balogun, who spoke on behalf of the council chairmen in the constituency, said the intervention was prompted by growing concerns over the impact of mining on communities.
Balogun listed Iperindo, Itagunmodi, Igangan, Itapa and Odogbo among communities allegedly affected by mining-related environmental degradation.
He said residents had complained about the destruction of farmlands, pollution of water sources and other environmental and security consequences allegedly linked to artisanal mining.
According to him, the council authorities had earlier approached the Osun State Mining Office to obtain information about mining operators working in the affected areas, but the response received did not adequately address their concerns.
He further alleged that some operators were working without valid licences, while unauthorised persons were collecting revenue through ticketing at mining sites.
Balogun said the councils consequently invited the NSCDC to inspect the affected communities and commended the agency for responding to their concerns.
The council chairmen later met with the Owa Sare of Ijana Wasare, Oba Adeniyi Adedeji, other traditional rulers and community stakeholders as part of efforts to find a coordinated response to the mining activities.
At the meeting, the stakeholders agreed to collaborate in tackling activities considered illegal and harmful to the communities.
However, the operation took a political dimension when Omirin alleged that the Osun State Government was enabling illegal mining through the issuance of tickets to operators who did not possess valid mining licences.
Omirin insisted that the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development was responsible for issuing mining licences, adding that he would raise the matter at the National Assembly.
He said mining operators without the required federal licences should not be allowed to continue operating merely on the strength of tickets issued locally.
The council chairmen subsequently announced an immediate ban on illegal mining activities and the issuance of tickets at the affected locations.
They directed operators wishing to continue mining to obtain the appropriate licences from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development before resuming operations..
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