By UCHE CHUKWUMA

The Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ejiro Jamani, on Friday, led a team of the ministry’s officials and security agents on a raid on individuals illegally excavating laterite at government forest reserves in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.

The operation targeted two sites along the Ogwashi Uku-Kwale road and along the newly constructed Ibusa by-pass.

Accompanied by Mr. Toju Enone, the Director of Forestry in the Ministry, Mr. Ambrose Abedi, the Director of Ecology, and security officers, the suspected commercial lateriate excavators fled on sighting the commissioner and his team.

Furious at the continued illegal excavation, despite repeated warnings, Mr. Jamani ordered the demolition of a makeshift structure in the area and issued stern warnings to those present, advising them never to resume the excavation work.

Addressing journalists after the operation, Mr. Jamani explained that the ministry had received reports about the illegal excavation activities in a government-owned forest reserve.

He emphasized that no one is permitted to extract laterite from government-controlled areas.

“This land belongs to the government, not any individual or family, and such activities are strictly prohibited,” he stated.

Besides the fact of the area being a government reserve, the commissioner’s main concern was the potential damage to the Asaba-Ughelli expressway, a major infrastructure project being funded by the state government.

“The excavation is already threatening the integrity of the road under construction,” he said.

“The topsoil has been removed, and they are digging deep into the rock. You can see how wide and deep they have excavated.

“Just a few feet away from the power line, the road is at risk of collapsing. If this continues, it will undo all the billions of naira the government has invested in this project.”

He also warned that the excavation was causing environmental damage that could lead to severe gully erosion, which would require billions of naira to address.

“We are here to prevent further destruction,” Jamani declared. “If we allow this to continue, it will become a bigger problem.”

Mr. Jamani further explained that this raid followed earlier visits, where he, along with the ministry’s directors, had issued strict warnings to the excavators.

Despite these warnings, the illegal activities persisted, prompting the Friday raid and the destruction of their structures.

The commissioner emphasized that anyone caught in the act would be arrested and held accountable for their actions. (Delta State News Bulletin)