By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Ogun State House of Assembly has issued a warrant compelling one Alhaji Tajudeen Abioye, the Managing Director of Ojibas Nigeria Limited to appear before it for questioning over alleged activities inimical to the environment, water source and farmlands.
To ensure compliance, the 26 – member Assembly also directed the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Lanre Ogunlowo, to execute the warrant as a matter of urgency and public importance by Producing Tajudeen Abioye before the lawmakers.
The Warrant issued Tuesday against Ajibas boss followed a petition accusing him of engaging in activities causing environmental degradation in the State and shortly after the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Environment leading to the passage of a resolution requesting for the issuing of the warrant.
And Speaker Oludaisi Elemide accordingly declared that, “By the powers conferred on me under Section 129(1)(d) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), I hereby issue a warrant to compel the attendance of Alhaji Tajudeen Abioye, Managing Director of Ojibas Nigeria Limited, and therefore call on the State Commissioner of Police to execute the warrant as a matter of urgency and public importance and produce him before this Honourable House to respond to issues arising from a petition under investigation.”
The report of the House Committee on Environment regarding a petition from the Elegan Progressive Community had accused Ojibas Nigeria Limited and I.J. Amaka Group of Companies of illegal mining operations that had caused severe environmental degradation, including the destruction of roads, water source and farmlands.
The report added that several invitations extended to the said Alhaji Abioye to appear before the house in the course of investigation were not honoured; hence, the need to issue the warrant to compel his attendance.
While issuing the warrant, the Speaker reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring accountability and environmental justice, stressing that the House would not condone any form of exploitation that endangered lives or livelihoods.
In a related development, residents of the Elegan Progressive Community, led by one Pastor Samuel Fadeyinoluwa, has staged a peaceful protest to the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta demanding Government intervention on the environmental degradation caused by the said OJIBAS, a firm owned by Alhaji Abioye at the Elegan Progressive Community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the State.
The protesters, representing communities including Abisodun, Adeolu, Oke-Odo, Oluwo Osin, Aiyetoro, Age, Ajerogun and Bisodun in Obafemi Owode Local Government, decried the extensive environmental damage caused by the mining activities and sought immediate government intervention.
The Speaker assured the protesters that the matter was already under investigation by the House Committee on Environment and that appropriate legislative action would be taken to address their grievances.
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