News Alert! Illegal Miners Exploiting Quarry Site In Afao Ekiti 

By Emmanuel Adeoye 

Residents of the Afao Ekiti Community in Irepodun / Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State including leaders, women and youths have protested and cry out over the activities of some illegal Miners who have been exploiting the rocks and quarry site located in their community with a call to the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to take immediate action against them. 

As early as 7:00am on Monday morning, the protesters such as leaders of the community, women and youths seized the entrance of the illegal mining located in the Odo Family land chanting different songs to press home their requests and demanding for justice. 

The protesters who displayed different inscriptions such as “Save Our Souls”, “Afao Community Is Badly Affected By Their Balst”, “Save Our Soul: Iketun Houses Are Collapsing”, “Governor Oyebanji Save Our Buildings”, We Are Suffering”, “Save Us From Heavy Explosions”, and “Use Low Tension Explosives”.

Other inscriptions includes: “The Company Lacks Socials Responsibility”, “Ekiti People: Save Afao Souls”, “Our Buildings Are Collapsing”, “Rock Explosions Cracking Our Houses”, “BAO Save Our Houses”, “Save Our Soul”, “Afao Buildings Not Safe”. 

A visit to the site of the quarry by Treasure Newspaper where illegal Miners are operating in Afao Ekiti Community, it was observed that the illegal Miners have already deployed heavy duty machines and equipments on the site thereby exploiting and exploring the resources of the people of Afao Community in Ekiti State to their own advantage and making money into their own pockets without any recourse to the land owners. 

Speaking with the Traditional Ruler of Afao Ekiti Kingdom, Oba Joseph Ademilua Ajibare II, The Alafao Of Afao Ekiti, in his palace on Monday, he said, “his entire Community people are tired over the illegal mining and exploitation of their God Given resources such as rocks and quarry located in their community by the illegal miners”. 

Continuing, Oba Ademilua said, “We have been talking and complaining to the illegal miners illegally mining in our community since last year before the former Chairman of the Afao Development Council left office. At the moment, our houses and properties have been spoiled as a result of the miners illegal exploration. They have refused to yield to our calls and appeals before now. They have almost destroyed all our houses”, he lamented.  

Oba Ademilua however called on the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to arrest and prosecute all the illegally miners in their community of Afao Ekiti who are at present being given security cover by Soldiers and men in the Military Uniforms. “Our roads have totally failed. We want the State Government to assist us before our roads become totally unpassable”. 

“We want the illegal miners to take the proper steps and channels before they can continue to mine and explore the God Given resources belonging to them as a community and as a people”, Oba Ademilua submitted. 

In his own words, the Sapetu of Afao Ekiti Kingdom, High Chief Laolu Omosilade revealed that, “over 100 houses have cracked while about 6 have totally collapsed as a result of the vibrations coming from the high explosives being used to blast the rock”. 

Equally, the Odolofin of Afao Ekiti Kingdom, High Chief Oludele Alli, said the illegal miners have failed to fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibility to the people of Afao Ekiti Kingdom despite the effect of the terrible explosions they always carried out on the rock and quarry site in their community. 

Also, the current Chairman of the Afao Development Council, Rtd. Colonel Tunde Oluwayose while speaking with the Treasure Newspaper, berated the attitude of the illegal miners for showing no concern to the people and the community that they have been exploiting their resources and destroying their livelihood and houses. 

He went on to query why some unknown foreigners will come to their community to be mining their resources without any approval or consultations with them or with the State Government. He however appealed to the Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to find time to visit the quarry and see things for himself before the illegal miners wreck more havoc on the peace loving people of Afao Ekiti. 

The Youth Leader of Afao Ekiti Kingdom, Mr. Tope Egunjobi while speaking with the Treasure Newspaper added, and called on the Ekiti State Government and Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji to urgently stepped into the matter to further prevent the illegal miners from exploiting the resources in their community and in their State.

In a swift response to the protests embarked upon by the people of the Afao Ekiti Community, a representative of the Illegal Miners, one Pastor Ajayi who came to address the protesters passionately appealed to them to table and channel their grievances and demands through him, promising them to convey same to the Chinese Company involved in the illegal mining.