Ife Community Raises The Alarm Over Illegal Miners’ Activities

Residents of Awolumate Zone 3, Opa Area, Ile-Ife, in Osun State have raised the alarm over the nefarious activities of illegal miners, calling on the state government to rescue them from their illicit acts before they render them homeless.

The chairman of the zone, Mr Olafare Abimbola stated this in a private chat with LEADERSHIP said their area is now prone to flooding anytime there is heavy rainfall because the miners have already blocked the water ways.

The chairman noted that there is an imminent outbreak of diseases as a result of health hazards from noise and air pollution from the equipment being used by the miners, adding that the aged people in the community now live in fear.

According to him, if necessary and prompt action is not taken to stop the miners, the issue may get out of hand as many will be rendered not only homeless but incapacitated.

He pleaded passionately with Governor Ademola Adeleke to save them from imminent danger from the activities of the Chinese-led miners.

His words, “Without prior knowledge, these people just came enmasse through another zone and occupied our land, they came with bulldozers, before we could even have a knowledge of what and why, they started digging our land.

“We moved closer to them and asked who sent them, where they came from and more. They responded that the land was sold to them by the Omo Onile (land grabbers). They were working day and night.