The Federal Government government has ordered the suspension of mining activities around the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife, Osun State.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja.

The suspension order of mining activities in the area was to enable the ministry to conclude an investigation into suspected illegal mining around the citadel of learning.

A statement by the media aide to the Minister, Segun Tomori quoted Alake to have said that the ministry placed the embargo on mining activities around the institution to ascertain media reports of activities of illegal miners within the precincts of the university.

Following the outcry generated by reports of illegal mining or suspicion of nefarious activities by mining operators within OAU, we immediately deployed officials of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and Mines Inspectorate for on-the-spot assessment. Preliminary reports that reached me indicated that there were indeed some activities around the premises. The ministry then stopped all activities, whether legal or illegal, for further investigations, the Minister asserted.

Alake said upon summoning some operators it was discovered that some of them were carrying out illegal activities, adding that some presented some licenses and letters of consent which necessitated further investigations to ascertain their authenticity, hence the imperative of inviting the university authorities for a parley.

We have had a very fruitful meeting, and a lot of facts have come out of it. Based on the outcome of the meeting, I announce the indefinite suspension, with immediate effect, of all mining activities within the premises of the University, the University teaching hospital and in fact around the area and boundaries of the university, until the conclusion of thorough investigations, the Minister added.

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