The Oyo command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it is working assiduously to tackle illegal mining and other crimes in the state.

In an interview with journalists in Ibadan on Friday, its spokesperson, SC Samuel Opebiyi, said the command had strategised to tackle criminal elements who had infiltrated Oyo State.

According to him, the state’s endowments of mineral resources have attracted illegal miners to its borders to exploit them.

Mr Opebiyi said the situation calls for beefing up the security architecture to ensure peace in the state.

He said that consequently, the NSCDC mining and steel unit was partnering with relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals and its counterpart in the state, to fight the menace of illegal mining.

The NSCDC spokesman, who noted that many mining sites in Oyo State were in border towns with neighbouring countries, described illegal mining as a menace sabotaging Nigeria’s commonwealth.

“So, we have infiltration of illegal miners carrying out security threats within the borders of the state, using the issue of mining to perpetrate their evils.

“So, we will continue to work assiduously to ensure those without a mining licence or those whose licences have expired don’t operate in the state in order to curb illegal mining operations and other crimes,” he said.

The NSCDC spokesman further said that over 20 illegal miners were arrested and investigated by the command in 2025.

Speaking on personnel training and community engagement in protecting lives and property, Mr Opebiyi said the command conducted a series of training in 2025 to forestall security threats.

He said the personnel were trained in areas such as disaster management, the use of firearms, and respect for human rights, among others.

“The NSCDC commandant in the state, Kingsley Padonu, conducted operational tours across the state, where he engaged with residents on the importance of communities supporting government in the state’s security architecture.

“The operational tour yielded a lot of results because we were able to identify security challenges facing each community and region in the state and strategise on ways to tackle them,” he said.

Mr Opebiyi urged the people of the state not to leave security issues solely in the hands of the government, saying everyone has a role to play in protecting lives and property.

(NAN)