The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has announced his decision not to ban mining activities in the state, despite the recent explosion in Bodija, Ibadan, which he attributed to illegal mining.
This statement was made while updating the public on the situation following the blast that affected areas including Bodija, Agbowo, Eleyele, and Orogun.
The governor, addressing the incident, explained that the explosion was caused by illegal miners who stored explosive devices in a building in the Bodija area.
Despite this, Governor Makinde emphasized that the state government would not ban mining activities.
He assured residents that his administration is effectively managing the situation, with support from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Furthermore, Makinde mentioned that the government had made arrangements for temporary shelters to accommodate the victims and their families affected by the explosion.
When asked during an interview on Channels TV Politics Today if he was considering banning mining in the state following the incident, Makinde said, “My approach has been a little bit different.
“I will not go out to ban mining activities because there are people who are legally mining in the state. They may be international investors. You will give the impression that this is a lawless environment where we will not obey our contracts, what we signed with people.
“It is a difficult route to take. When we are swimming through the situation we have found ourselves, we will not have a knee-jerk reaction to the issue.”
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