The Oyo State Government has arrested five suspects over alleged illegal excavation and removal of laterite and gravel from the Akufo Farm Settlement in Ido Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects were arrested during a joint enforcement operation by the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority (OYSROLA), Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and security operatives.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, saying the operation followed reports of unauthorised excavation and removal of laterite and gravel from agricultural land managed by OYSADA.

Oyelade said the enforcement team, upon arrival at the settlement, intercepted a trailer fully loaded with laterite and gravel as it was leaving the area.

He said the vehicle was stopped and impounded, while five suspects allegedly linked to the excavation activities were arrested.

“Upon arrival, the enforcement team intercepted a trailer fully loaded with laterite and gravel as it was leaving the settlement. The vehicle was immediately stopped and impounded. Five suspects allegedly connected to the excavation activities were also arrested,” he said.

According to him, inspection of the area revealed multiple points of suspected illegal excavation, some of which were located within existing plantations, with the activities having significant impact on the agricultural land.

He said a cassava plantation was particularly affected, with mature cassava crops reportedly ready for harvest destroyed and left to waste as a result of the excavation.

Oyelade said the development posed a threat to agricultural production and food security, stressing that the government would not allow activities capable of undermining the objectives of its farm settlements to continue unchecked.

The enforcement team also impounded an excavator allegedly used for the excavation and loading of laterite and gravel, although its operator was not found at the scene.

The commissioner said freshly prepared food and other personal belongings were found around the abandoned equipment, suggesting that the operator might have fled shortly before or upon sighting the enforcement team.

A farmer at the settlement, according to the statement, alleged that as many as 50 trailer-loads of laterite and gravel were being excavated and removed from the farm daily.

The allegation, Oyelade said, raised concerns about the scale of the activities and their potential impact on the agricultural development objectives of the settlement.

He described the unauthorised excavation and removal of laterite and gravel from government agricultural land as unlawful and a threat to the utilisation, preservation and development of the farm settlement.

The five suspects, whose identities were withheld, were detained at the Amotekun Corps Divisional Headquarters in Ido pending further investigation and arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The state government reiterated its commitment to protecting agricultural land and ensuring that the objectives of its farm settlements were not undermined by illegal activities.