In a fresh mandate, the Oyo State Government has directed Chairmen of the 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state to hunt down and fish out illegal miners, land grabbers, and bandits in their respective domains.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Mr Olusegun Olayiwola handed down this directive after a meeting with the council bosses with Director General, Oyo Minerals Development Agency, Mr Abiodun Oni also in attendance.

Speaking, Olayiwola said the new mandate came in the wake of the recent Bodija explosion and the three security threats that the state presently faced: illegal mining, banditry and land grabbing.

Olayiwola said the mandate was in line with the constitutional stipulation that local government administrations were in charge of the security of their domains.

He stated that the LGA chairmen were mandated to energize the security committee of their councils such that they become a task force to hunt down land grabbers, illegal miners, and bandits.

The commissioner added that the chairmen had also been asking to compulsorily hold joint security committee meetings by the last Saturday of every month and report the security situation of their councils to the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters by the last Saturday of every month.

He, however, said the chairmen were expected to work in tandem with traditional rulers, market leaders, and community leaders among other relevant persons and promptly voice out their observations security-wise.

Speaking in the same vein, Director General, Oyo Minerals Development Agency, Mr Abiodun Oni said the state government was investigating the cases of one monarch and two Baales who issued letters of consent for mining in their domains.

He said the suspension of the Onido of Ido, Oba Gbolagade Muritala Babalola, typified the renewed government stance against anyone, no matter how placed, aiding and abetting acts of criminality in the state.

He said issuance of such consent letters to miners was outside the jurisdiction of traditional rulers.

Oni said traditional rulers were expected to be wary of their domains, identify security threats and voice out such observations to relevant agencies.

Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State chapter, Mr Sikiru Sanda, speaking on behalf of other chairmen, gave the local government’s commitment to the state government’s mandate.

Compliance, he noted, was imperative to enable the state to remain safe and secure for residents of the state. (Nigerian Tribune)

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