The Edo State Government has threatened tough sanctions for Federal Government mining officers in the state involved in issuing illegal authorisation for the operations of borrow pits in the Obagie N’ Evbosa axis of the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.
The warning was issued by Governor Godwin Obaseki during an inspection tour of the borrow pit site at Obagie ‘N Evbosa, with other members of the State Executive Council.
The governor, who was taken aback by the extent of illegal activities going on at the site, said the city is under environmental threat and his administration will do everything possible to stop all those illegally mining sands in Edo State.
He described as illegal and illicit, the activities of the borrow bit operators, saying that his administration will do everything possible to put a stop to the acts.
“This people don’t care about law and order. They don’t have respect for the government. We issued a statement warning people operating the borrowed pits to desist until we agreed on the areas that can be borrowed.
“From what we have seen today, it is like these operators have no respect and they are challenging the government. Government will show its full might and force. This is threatening the environment. If we continue this way and at this rate, we will lose areas and communities.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria issued a warning that even transmission lines are being threatened because people are borrowing and taking sands around areas that are hosting national infrastructure.
“You can see what is going on here. This is illegal and illicit. As a government, we will do everything possible to put a stop to it. We are issuing this and sending this as a warning to the federal mining officers in the state who permit this and give approval and authorisation that we would arrest and deal with them in Edo State,” the governor said.
“This is not a Banana Republic and we can’t just come out here to destroy our environment this way. In the next few years, people in these communities will begin to experience landslides and mudslides because of the way these mining activities are being carried out.
“This is not right. We can’t continue to do this to ourselves. Our City is under threat and this government will do all to stop those illegally mining sands here,” he added.
