There was apprehension at Ibodi community of Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of Osun State, on Tuesday when chairmen of local governments in Ijesa South Federal Constituency, backed by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the police, clashed with military personnel during a clampdown on illegal miners in the area.

Though the enforcement against the activities of illegal miners followed complaints over environment degradation by communities in the axis, some military personnel confronted the team.

Trouble ensued when the council chairmen attempted to halt the activities of miners collecting illegal tickets and levies from unlicensed officials at an illegal mining site.

The military personnel at the location prevented the enforcement team from stopping the operation, leading to heated altercation, which almost degenerated in physical attack.

However, normalcy was eventually restored following the timely intervention of the member representing Ijesa South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Sanya Omirin, accompanied by senior police officers.

The enforcement team later moved to Ijana Wasare community where they shut down illegal mining sites and stopped the issuance of tickets to miners operating without licences.

While speaking to journalists after the inspection, the chairman of Ilesa West Local Government, Lanre Balogun, who spoke on behalf of council chairmen in Ijesa South Federal Constituency, explained the action became necessary in order to protect communities from the environmental hazard and insecurity.

He further disclosed that communities across Ijesa land, including Ipinrindo, Itagunmodi, Igangan, Itapa and Odogbo, have suffered severe environmental degradation, destruction of farmlands, pollution of streams and water sources due to illegal artisanal mining activities.

Balogun added that many of the mining sites have no records or licences with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, despite the constitutional requirement for mining operators to obtain valid licences.

According to him, the local government authorities had also approached the Osun State Mining Office for information on the operators but received no satisfactory response.

“We discovered that many of these mining sites have no records whatsoever with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. They are unregistered, unlicensed and largely untraceable.

“Rather than enforcement, what we observed was the unlawful collection of revenue by unknown artisanal miners at the expense of the safety of our communities,” Balogun remarked

The chairmen also met with the Owa Sare of Ijana Wasare, Oba Adeniyi Adedeji and other traditional rulers and stakeholders, where they resolved to collaborate against curb illegal mining activities in Ijesa axis.

They attributed their intervention to the Fourth Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, arguing that local governments have constitutional responsibilities over environmental protection and community development.

Speaking during the inspection, Hon. Omirin accused the Osun State Government of allegedly aiding illegal mining through the issuance of tickets to unlicensed miners instead of ensuring compliance with federal mining regulations.