Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has launched fresh measures to strengthen security around mining communities amid growing concerns over criminal activities and the infiltration of suspected bandits into the state’s mining sector.
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Security, Samuel Ojo, during a stakeholders’ conference, the governor said the meeting was convened to develop a coordinated security strategy to safeguard mining communities, particularly within the Ife-Ijesa axis.
The conference brought together security agencies, traditional rulers, mining operators, environmental advocates and community representatives to address emerging security threats linked to mining activities.
Adeleke expressed concern over what he described as the increasing and uncontrolled movement of people from states including Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi into mining communities across Osun.
While acknowledging that every Nigerian has the right to seek lawful employment, the governor said intelligence reports indicate that some individuals are allegedly introducing criminal activities similar to those experienced in parts of the North-West, including the establishment of armed camps, illegal taxation, youth recruitment and the creation of unlawful power structures.
He warned that failure to address the situation promptly could threaten the peace and stability for which Osun is known.
The governor also commended security agencies and local security groups for monitoring activities within the mining sector, adding that the state government has intensified surveillance following intelligence reports of suspected armed groups around the Ibodi forest and suspicious movements along the Ilesa corridor.
He further raised concerns over the alleged presence of foreign nationals who reportedly disguise themselves as Nigerians by using fake identification documents and speaking local languages to blend into host communities.
Adeleke urged traditional rulers and community leaders to carefully identify and verify new arrivals in their communities, stressing the need for proper profiling to prevent criminal elements from gaining a foothold.
As part of the new security measures, the governor announced the establishment of a community-based intelligence network for mining areas across the Ife-Ijesa region.
He directed that every major mining community should, within 14 days, establish a seven-member Community Security Committee that will work closely with traditional rulers, the police, security agencies and the state government.
The governor also called on mining companies and residents to cooperate fully with the military, the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Amotekun by granting security personnel access to mining sites and promptly sharing intelligence.
Adeleke reaffirmed his administration’s determination to prevent Osun from becoming a safe haven for criminal groups, stressing that the state’s mineral resources must not be exploited to support unlawful activities.
