The Oyo State government, yesterday, suspended the Sobaloju of Ofiki in Atisbo Local Government Area, Jacob Adefabi, over alleged illegal mining activities in the community.
The Special Assistant to the governor on Print Media, Mr Moses Alao, in a statement, said Adefabi was suspended for allegedly violating the state’s executive order 001/2023, and for encouraging trespassing on government gazetted assets.
The order 001/2023 regulates mining activities in the state.
Adefabi was accused of violating the said order as well as allegedly issuing consent letters to mining companies without proper authorisation, permitting mining activities in the state government’s reserved forest and facilitating unauthorised mining operations.
The statement stated that the action was taken to protect the community and the state’s interests.
According to a letter by the Director of Chieftaincy Matters in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, A.M. Olajire, the monarch has been suspended from the palace of the Onito of Ito effective January 5, pending the outcome of an investigation into the allegations.
It added that his suspension was a precautionary measure to ensure the integrity of the investigation.
The government directed the embattled chief to refrain from all activities related to mining and not to interfere with the investigation into the allegations against him and to make himself available for inquiry by the investigating team.
