The Oloja of Imoru Community in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Charles Basorun, has called on the Federal and State Governments to intervene in the illegal mining activities in the community.
The monarch also alleged that the illegal mining was being aided by security agents who, according to him, were shielding the illegal miners.
Oba Basorun made the call on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Akure, the state capital.
The traditional ruler noted that the presence of security agencies in the community had left residents in a constant state of panic.
He said he had written to the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, calling for an investigation into the licence presented by one of the alleged illegal mining firms in the community, describing it as fake.
According to him, the licence presented by the company, which was allegedly granted on 15 November 2024 and set to expire on 14 November 2027, was fraudulent.
He said, “During my thorough research and investigation, I discovered the licence was fraudulent. That was why the community and I wrote to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, requesting a proper investigation into the said licence.”
The Oloja of Imoru also called on stakeholders at both the federal and state levels to intervene in the alleged illegal mining activities taking place in his community.
He warned against deploying more security personnel to the mining site, stating that it could lead to a crisis.
“We recently gathered information that a security chief is planning to deploy more personnel to the illegal site in the coming days. This could lead to confrontations and potential casualties,” he warned.
