Oyo govt shuts illegal mining factory

The Oyo State government has shut down an illegal mining factory in Idi-Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Saturday.

He said the operation was part of efforts to prevent the recurrence of last month’s explosion in the Bodija area of the state.

The governor also confirmed the arrest of some people at the facility.

He revealed that efforts to extradite Malians indicted in the Bodija explosion are ongoing.

At least five persons were confirmed dead and several buildings were destroyed in the January 16 blast that occurred at Adeyi Avenue in the Bodija area of Ibadan, the state capital.

He 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.

“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.

“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.

“We are having difficulties because Mali pulled out of ECOWAS. We will continue to deploy diplomatic means to ensure they are brought to book.

“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.”

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