Tweeps Seek End To Illegal Mining In Osun, Lagos

Yusuf Oketola

NIGERIANS on tweeter have called on the Federal Government to checkmate the ac vi es of illegal miners in Osun and Lagos State communies.

The concerned Nigerian converged on Twi er with hashtag #StopChineseIllegalMining on Sunday, May 28, 2023, in protest against alleged illegal mining ac vies by Chinese.

The tweeps stated that Chinese miners have made themselves lords on the Nigerian natural resources, which belong to the people and government.

Ci ng environmental pollu on, among other havoc wrecked by the Chinese miners, the tweeps lamented that communi es where mining are taking place are s ll ba ling with degrada on, encroachment and crimes.

Specifically, the tweeps called on necessary govern- ment agencies to check the ac vi es of miners at the China Civil Engineering Con- struc on Company (CCECC) in Lagos and others in Osun communi es.

“Marching with pride to protect our soil and environment. Chinese illegal mining has gone too far, and it’s me to put an end to it. Together, we can restore balance,” a tweep said.

Nafeesah Abdullahi, another Twi er user, tweeted: “Let’s take a collec ve step forward to stop Chinese illegal mining from spoiling our soil and ravaging our environment. Together, we can make a difference!”

“Stand up for what’s right! Chinese illegal mining is a threat to our ecosystem. Let’s fight back and protect our environment for future genera ons,” @nygnotorious said.

Osun Govt. Arraigns 3 For Illegal Felling In Forest Reserve

Ismaeel Uthman

THE State Government of Osun has arraigned three farmers, Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu before an Osogbo Magistrate Court, for illegal entry into the government’s forest reserve.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the accused persons, on May 19, 2023 unlawfully entered Shasha Forest Reserve, Area 4, Osogbo area and maliciously damaged economic trees.

The prosecu ng counsel, Mr. Moses

Faremi from the Department of Public Prosecuon, Osun State Ministry of Jus ce told the court that the damaged trees was valued a sum of N3m.

The accused persons were alleged of felling the trees to plant cocoa seedlings.

But they pleaded not guilty to the allega ons.

The charge sheet reads: “That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu on the 19th day of May 2023 at Shasha Forest Reserve, Area 4, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, illegally entered Government For- est Reserves and thereby commi ed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 42(g) of the Forestry Laws of Osun State, 2002.

“That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu at the same date and me in the aforemen oned Magisterial District, maliciously damaged economic trees worth One Million, Five Hundred Thousand (1,500,000) which is the property of Osun State Government and thereby commi ed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 81 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State, 2002”.

“That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu, at the same date and me in the same Magisterial District illegally fell economic trees worth One Million, Five Hundred Thousand (#1,500,000) which is the property of Osun State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 44(4) Cap. 46, Laws of Osun State, 2002”.

Magistrate Abike Daramola remanded the defendants at Ilesa custodial centre and adjourned the case ll June 13, 2023 for hearing.

OSUN DEFENDER recalls that many residents living in communi es where mining is taking place in Osun have made several complaints about the ac vi es of miners, both legal and illegal.

In December 2020, residents of Opa community in Osun accused a team of Chinese miners of environmental abuse and encroachment on their land.

The miners, who were allegedly looking for gold, had purchased a small poron of land near a stream from a local chief.

However, they later expanded their mining acvi es to other parts of the community, digging close to some houses and causing damage and flooding.

The residents said they tried to stop the miners but they were ignored and inmidated by armed policemen guarding the site.

•Continued from Page 1 the progress of the na on. On a wing and a prayer Nigeria, might be witnessing its long delayed “cometh the moment cometh the me” trajectory.

The public presenta on could have been be er but the inten on now translated into reality to eliminate the racketeering known as fuel subsidies was masterful, the elimina on. of the sleaze propelled dual exchange rate must follow. President Tinubu here is going to the root cause of our na onal dysfunc on by a acking the rent-seeking economy. He must be supported whatever temporary incon nence; a realignment. Hit of the costs of the machinery of the government is also a ma er of priority. This will not be difficult as he demonstrated when he was governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.

An a ack on the rent-seeking economy is to be supported. The country must move from consumpon to produc on or its slides into irrelevance. A key issue for Nigeria today is not the quantum of the debt but its structure and the ability to repay. And a geometric increase in revenue genera on is indispensable. The na on in the words of the postindependence Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru, must “export or parish”. The economy should rest on a tripod of monetary fiscal and trade func ons, we have neglected trade and it must now be on the front burner.