27 illegal miners, comprising 17 Chinese
and 10 locals, including a local traditional chief (Baale),have been arrested
by the Osun State Joint Task Force (JTF) which was recently inaugurated
by
Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State.
A coordinated sting operation around Ilesa and
Ife axis of the state led to their arrest.
Deputy Chief of Staff to the State Governor,
Abdullahi Binuyo, while reacting to the development, said no responsible
government would fold its arms and watch its land being degraded by
unauthorised persons.
According to Binuyo, aside from the
economic leakages, the illegal miners had also polluted the Osun River with
poisonous metals, thereby making it unsafe for human consumption and
irrigation.
He added that apart from ensuring that
those arrested were prosecuted, they would also be made to pay
compensation.
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