The Ogun state government says it has arrested a Syrian and a Nigerian for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities along the industrial corridor of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, who disclosed this while leading an enforcement team to the illegal mining site at Boun Village, Shimawa, behind Redemption Camp in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the State, said that the culprits would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He stated that illicit activities of miners had wrecked serious havoc to lives and property as well degraded the environment, warning that the present administration in the state frowns at the unlawful acts of making profit at the detriment of residents of the State.
“It is good to sound this note of warning to unscrupulous elements that are in the illegal business of destroying the environment in the name of mining.
“As a government, we will do our best to curb illegal mining because the lives of residents are precious to us.
“Unfortunately, the people involved make money at the detriment of law abiding residents. I can assure you that we will take holistic approach to end these activities and whoever is caught engaging in it would face the full weight of the law. For instance, this Syrian and his accomplice will not go unpunished”. he said.
The commissioner noted that the monitoring activities would continue until illegal mining was nipped in the bud towards forestalling environmental hazards.
