Ogun communities raise alarm over illegal mining destroying farmlands

Communities in Ado-Odo, Ogun State, have raised serious concerns over illegal mining activities that they say are destroying fertile farmlands and jeopardising livelihoods.

The Ibile Justice Forum, an advocacy group, sounded the alarm on Wednesday over mining operations in Iloro I, Iloro II and Ibiri villages. In a statement signed by Ifeoluwa Amoo and Ganiu Owolabi, the group accused an unspecified mining company of exploiting farm settlements meant for agricultural development.

The forum said the actions of the mining firm have left the community “economically disadvantaged and environmentally unsafe.” It called on both the Ogun State and Federal Governments to intervene and recover affected farmlands for the people.

“We are constrained to speak against the deliberate actions of the said company, whose actions and inactions have rendered our community entirely prostrate,” the statement said. “Our collective patrimony is being arbitrarily exploited… to the detriment of the community whose livelihoods have not only been hijacked but left in ruins.”

The advocacy group also accused some traditional institutions of colluding with the company for personal gain. “We are even more worried that these nefarious activities are being aided and abetted by the so-called traditional institutions, which ordinarily are supposed to be the custodian of the customs of the community,” it added.

According to the forum, the Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture had directed the company to halt all mining activities in a memo dated January 28, 2025, after withdrawing an earlier approval granted on December 5, 2024. Despite the directive, the company reportedly continued operations on the site.

The forum described the company’s defiance of the government order as “baffling and worrisome.”

The group urged authorities to enforce the order immediately, restore the farmlands, and protect the environment and economic wellbeing of the affected villages.