Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has unveiled a comprehensive security strategy aimed at curbing the growing threat of suspected bandits and criminal elements infiltrating mining communities across the state.
The governor announced the initiative during a stakeholders’ conference held in Osogbo on Tuesday, where security agencies, traditional rulers, mining companies, environmental advocates, and community leaders gathered to discuss security challenges affecting the mining sector.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Samuel Ojo, Adeleke said the meeting became necessary due to emerging security threats, particularly within the Ife-Ijesa axis, which require urgent and coordinated intervention.
He disclosed that the state government had become increasingly alarmed by what it described as an unregulated influx of people from states including Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Kebbi into Osun’s mining communities.
According to the governor, while the state welcomes Nigerians seeking legitimate employment, intelligence reports indicate that the movement extends beyond mining activities.
Adeleke warned that some of the new arrivals were allegedly introducing criminal tactics similar to those that have destabilised communities in Nigeria’s North-West, including the establishment of armed camps, illegal taxation, youth recruitment, and the creation of parallel authority structures.
“If we do not act now, the peace Osun is known for will be sacrificed on the altar of gold,” he said.
The governor commended security agencies and community-based stakeholders for their vigilance but stressed the need for stronger preventive measures as security threats linked to mining operations continue to evolve.
He revealed that security agencies had received credible intelligence about the presence of suspected bandits around the Ibodi forests, as well as reports of suspicious armed individuals operating within the Ilesa corridor.
Adeleke also raised concerns over the alleged infiltration of some communities by foreign nationals and non-Nigerians who reportedly disguise themselves with fake identities and speak local languages to evade detection.
He urged traditional rulers and community leaders to strengthen resident profiling and collaborate with security agencies to identify suspicious individuals.
As part of the new security framework, the governor announced the establishment of a Mining Community Intelligence Architecture for the Ife-Ijesa region. The structure will connect mining sites, community security committees, traditional rulers, divisional police officers, and the State Security Council under the governor’s supervision.
He further directed every major mining community in the state to establish a seven-member Community Security Committee within 14 days.
Adeleke called on stakeholders to work closely with the military, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Amotekun Corps to strengthen security across mining communities.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the state from criminal elements, declaring that Osun would not become a refuge for bandits or allow its mineral resources to finance criminal activities.