By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State Government has ordered traditional rulers and chairmen of all the 33 local government in the state to flush out illegal miners, bandits and land grabbers in their areas.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon Olusegun Olayiwola, made this known on Monday, while addressing journalists after a closed door meeting with local government chairmen.
Hon Olayiwola stressed that Oyo State Government has zero tolerance for crime and criminality and would stop at nothing to ensure safety of lives and property in the state and that the meeting, enjoined the Chairmen to work with kings and other traditional rulers in their domains to effectively secure their areas and go after all illegal miners in their areas and fish them out.
“This can easily be done with the collaboration, assistance and support of royal fathers and traditional chiefs all over the councils, when they see and say something, we will be able to apprehend these people”, he said
Hon Olayiwola added, “Our traditional rulers and Chiefs know where these people are operating because they live amongst them and cannot deny the fact that they know the work of the people living in their domains.”
” One major point that was extensively discussed today, is the issue of security of lives and property in Oyo State. You will recall that about three weeks ago, there was an explosion at Bodija, Ibadan which eventually turned out to be as a result of illegal activities of some miners, who were not supposed to keep explosives in residential areas”
Charging the 33 local government chairmen to return to their domains, hold meetings with their security committees and come up with strategies to rid their areas of illegal miners, land grabbers and bandits, the Commissioner said the state government would not fold its arms and watch criminals take over the state adjudged as one of the safest in the country.
“The Chairmen and Chairwomen in the 33 local governments of Oyo State have decided that the three critical areas that the people and government of Oyo State need to look into to improve security are illegal mining, land grabbing and banditry.”
Hon Olayiwola stressed further that the meeting resolved to saddle the Chairmen with the responsibility of securing their local government areas in accordance with the provision of the country’s constitution which recognizes them as the chief security officers of their local governments.
He maintained that the meeting, however, enjoined them to work with kings and other traditional rulers in their domains to effectively secure their areas and that the council Chairmen had been mandated to go after all illegal miners in their areas and fish them out.
