FIVE ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED ILLEGAL EXCAVATION IN OYO FARM SETTLEMENT

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

Five suspects have been arrested for allegedly engaging in the illegal excavation and removal 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 (OYRLEA), Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and security operatives.

The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, saying the operation followed reports of unauthorised excavation activities on agricultural land managed by OYSADA.

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According to Oyelade, the enforcement team intercepted a trailer loaded with laterite and gravel as it was leaving the farm settlement. The vehicle was subsequently impounded, while five persons allegedly linked to the excavation activities were arrested.

An inspection of the area also revealed several suspected illegal excavation sites, some of which were located within existing plantations.

The commissioner said the activities had caused significant damage to the agricultural land, including the destruction of a cassava plantation where mature crops reportedly ready for harvest were left wasted.

He warned that such activities could undermine agricultural production and threaten food security in the state.

The enforcement team also impounded an excavator suspected to have been used for digging and loading the laterite and gravel. However, the operator was said to have fled before the arrival of the enforcement officers.

Oyelade said freshly prepared food and personal belongings were found around the abandoned equipment, suggesting that the operator may have escaped after noticing the approaching enforcement team.

A farmer in the settlement reportedly told the authorities that as many as 50 trailer-loads of laterite and gravel were allegedly being excavated and removed from the farm settlement daily.

The claim raised concerns over the scale of the alleged illegal activities and their potential impact on the agricultural development objectives of the settlement.

The state government described the unauthorised excavation and removal of laterite and gravel from government-owned agricultural land as unlawful, stressing that such activities posed a threat to the preservation and development of the farm settlement.

The five suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, are currently being detained at the Amotekun Corps Divisional Headquarters in Ido pending further investigation and possible arraignment before a court of competent jurisdiction.

OYRLEA and OYSADA reiterated their commitment to protecting government agricultural assets, enforcing relevant laws and preventing activities capable of undermining the state’s agricultural development programmes.

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