Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has declared the arrest of those engaged in the illicit processing of minerals that were mined at a facility in Idi-Ayunre, Oluyole Local Government Area.
He revealed this on Saturday via posts on his Social Media Handles.
The governor stated that the operation was a continuation of measures to avert similar disasters to the explosion in Bodija that occurred in January 2024 and caused casualties as well as property damage.
The governor reportedly ordered the arrest of four people who were allegedly operating at the location, citing that they were not functioning in accordance with the government-approved license obtained for conducting business in the state.
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.
“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.”
The governor further emphasized the difficulty of extraditing Malians who were charged with the Bodija explosion.
He wrote, “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.”
