The Edo State government has given a seven-day ultimatum to illegal miners operating in the Egbetua Autonomous Community in Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Area of the state to vacate the site.
The government said after seven days, any illegal miners found in the area would face the wrath of the law.
It was reported on Friday that about 1,000 workers, mostly from the northern part of the country, were working on the site to the chagrin of the locals.
The mining site, it was gathered, had been in operation for over 25 years and was located inside the Odo bush, about 15 kilometres from Ososo town.
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The head chief of the community, Chief Peter Momoh, the Iddu Oremeh Osese of Egbetua, who confirmed the activities of illegal gold miners in the community, said the intervention of the state government was needed.
He said, “The illegal mining activities in our community have not only led to environmental degradation but have also resulted in a rise in criminal activities, including frequent kidnapping of farmers, market women and children.”
In a letter dated March 7, 2024, and signed by the head chief and his secretary, the community gave a quit notice to the illegal miners, while another letter dated April 17, 2024, urged Governor Godwin Obaseki to put an end to their activities.
The state Commissioner for Mining and Energy, Enaholo Ojiefoh, who led a team of security personnel to meet with chiefs and elders of the community on Saturday, finally gave the ultimatum to the miners on behalf of Governor Obaseki.
He said that the state government was interested in the growth and development of the locality, noting that it had zero tolerance for crime and illegalities in the state.
He said: “I want to give a serious warning to residents of Egbetua. If you are part of these criminals who have been working in our forest, mining our precious minerals, your days are numbered.
“If you have been working or helping in any way to carry out their illegal activities, your days are numbered. I want you (elders of Egbetua community) to send this message to everybody, tell them that we are giving them (gold miners) seven days to vacate that forest.”
The commissioner said security agencies would be deployed in the area to enforce the order.
“It is a marching order from the state government to flush them (illegal gold miners) out of this place and that is why you are seeing different security agencies.
“They can’t be exploiting our solid mineral and still be kidnapping, raping our wives and girls, chasing our men away and using the forest as a place where they keep their victims,” he said.
The commissioner disclosed that the report of the visit would be forwarded to the Minister of Solid Mineral Development and the state governor.
He, however, assured that the state government would be working with all legal mining companies in the state and bring in investors for the development and growth of the area.
Speaking on the development, Momoh expressed appreciation for the intervention of the state government.
