Ondo State Government has uncovered and raided some illegal sand mining sites in the outskirts of Akure, the state capital.
The operation was carried out by Ondo State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) monitoring team, led by the special adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on environmental matters, Oyeniyi Oseni.
According to Mr Oseni, the illegal miners had caused severe damage to the environment and violated the operational guidelines for sand mining activities in Ondo state.
He said the government would not tolerate any deviation from the extant regulations and would enforce strict compliance with the environmental protection laws.
He also warned the illegal miners to stop digging below the permissible level and to cover their sand-laden trucks to prevent dust pollution.
He said the SEPA team would aggressively monitor the activities of sand miners to ensure they adhere to the operational ethics and protocols
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Mr Oseni later met with the leaders of the associations involved in sand mining, including the Association of Sand Quarry Operators and Suppliers (ASQOSOS), Union of Tipper, Quarry Employee of Nigeria (UTQEN) and the Seriki Hausawa of Shasha market, Shehu Ibrahim Dangari.
He urged them to obtain the necessary permit from the agency and to cooperate with the government in protecting the environment, lives and properties of the citizens.