At least two persons were killed on Thursday night at an illegal
mining site in Aruwa village, Atakumosa Local Government Area of Osun
State.
It was gathered that the deaths occurred in a clash between illegal
miners at the site.
Locals who spoke with newsmen said some men invaded the site to stop
illegal mining of gold.
“The incident occurred late Thursday evening. Some guys came with the
aim of stealing gold at the mining site but they were attacked by
labourers guiding the sites. It was during the clash that two men lost
their lives,” a villager said.
Illegal mining, impelled by regulatory failure and compromised police
as well as local chiefs, is not new in Osun State.
These illegal activities are carried out with the support of some
powerful elites, including traditional rulers.
The Nigerian Minerals and Mining Law of 1999 vests ownership and
control of all minerals in Nigeria in the federal government.
The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is responsible for
granting of license to operators. Any operator without license from
this ministry is carrying out illegal activities and may be arrested
and prosecuted in any Federal High Court.
Information on the ministry’s website indicates that the federal
government currently issued gold mining licenses to 12 operators in
Osun but the sites where Thursday’s incident occurred is not among the
approved sites for mining.
Since the Thursday attack, there has been tension in the Ile Ife and
Atakunmosa axis where the Yoruba reside with Hausa settlers.
The Osun State Police command confirmed the clash but was silent on
the number of dead victims.
The state police spokesperson, Folashade Odoro, told PREMIUM TIMES
that the police were on top of the matter.
The palace of the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwus, was also silent on
casualties of the clash.
