Indigenes and Monarch of Itasa Community in Oyo Demand Exit of Mining Company

Residents, youths, thought leaders, and the traditional ruler of Itasa, located in Iwajowa Local Government of Oyo State’s Oke-Ogun area, have called on the Federal Government to order Architype Industries Nigeria Limited to vacate their land. They accuse the mining company of operating without a valid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Community Development Agreement (CDA), causing environmental degradation, insecurity, and threatening lives.

Prominent son of Itasa, Prof. Bayo Aborisade, condemned the mining activities, stating the company has empowered individuals who intimidate locals and barred access to the mining site with threats of violence. He highlighted the presence of suspicious settlements around the site, inhabited by people who do not speak local languages, posing additional security risks. Prof. Aborisade urged the government to remove the company, noting it only holds a land title but lacks required legal permits and community agreements.

Community leaders, including Chairman Alhaji Banji Isiaka Odedele, youth leader Mr. Jelili Ogunlade, and Julius Farounbi, lamented that mining has disrupted farming—the community’s main livelihood—and called for immediate cessation of operations. Legal counsel Femi Aborisade emphasized the illegality of the mining activities, noting the company has not fulfilled statutory requirements and that local authorities have requested the company to vacate until proper agreements are reached.

The Onitile of Itasa, Oba Michael Sijuola Oyediran, expressed the community’s desire for lawful and beneficial development, warning that if the company fails to act responsibly, it should leave the land. A lawyer from the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Mr. Olufola Awoyemi, described the situation as a severe threat to residents’ safety and livelihoods, with JDPC preparing to escalate the matter for wider awareness.

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In response, Architype Industries’ site manager, Abiodun Ogunbiyide, claimed the company holds a valid mining license, community consent, and land title, though he could not produce documentary evidence when requested.

The Itasa community continues to seek government intervention to halt mining activities until all legal and environmental protocols are met to ensure peace, safety, and sustainable development.

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