Five arrested in Oyo over alleged illegal sand mining
By Adejayan Gbenga
Five suspects have been arrested over alleged unauthorised excavation of laterite and gravel at the Akufo Farm Settlement in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The suspects were apprehended during a joint enforcement operation involving the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority, Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency and security operatives, according to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, on Friday.
Oyelade said the operation followed reports of unauthorised excavation and removal of laterite and gravel from agricultural land under the management of OYSADA.
He said the enforcement team intercepted and impounded a trailer loaded with laterite and gravel while it was leaving the settlement, leading to the arrest of five suspects allegedly linked to the excavation activities.
The commissioner said the team also discovered several suspected illegal excavation sites, some of them within existing plantations, where the activities had caused significant damage to agricultural land.
He added that a cassava plantation containing mature crops reportedly ready for harvest had been destroyed by the excavation, describing the development as a threat to agricultural production and food security.
Meanwhile, the enforcement team impounded an excavator allegedly used to excavate and load the materials, although its operator was not found at the scene. Oyelade said freshly prepared food and personal belongings found near the abandoned equipment suggested that the operator may have fled after sighting the enforcement team.
The five suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, were detained at the Amotekun Corps Divisional Headquarters in Ido pending further investigation and arraignment. OYSADA and the Oyo State Rule of Law Enforcement Authority reaffirmed their commitment to protecting government agricultural assets and preventing activities that could undermine the state’s agricultural development initiatives.
