By Editor
An alleged illegal lithium mining operation is running daily inside Old Oyo National Park in Daba, Oyo State, with a network of motorcycle riders transporting the minerals to Kishi and Igbeti, raising fresh concerns over insecurity in the state.
Sources familiar with the activity say the miners operate in a coordinated manner, almost like a union. Each Okada rider is reportedly paid about ₦12,000 per bag of lithium to move the mineral out of the park to designated collection points in Kishi and Igbeti.
According to eyewitness accounts from the area, the ringleaders behind the operation are making between ₦20 million and ₦50 million, while daily workers within the network earn around ₦200,000. The trade is said to be happening on a daily basis.
The minerals are allegedly mined illegally within the protected area of Old Oyo National Park, a forest reserve that should be under strict government protection. Environmental experts warn that such activity threatens wildlife, water sources, and the entire ecosystem of the park.
The entire operation appears to function as a coordinated network of organized crime, with specific roles for miners, transporters, middlemen, and buyers. The scale suggests funding, logistics, and market connections beyond local actors.
This has triggered concerns about a possible link between illegal mining and insecurity. A popular warning circulating in the area puts it bluntly: “Carry Lithium by day, Carry Terrorist AK 47 by nightfall.” The phrase reflects growing fears that criminal networks may be using mining proceeds to fund arms and other illicit activities.
The question now being asked is not just how bandits might be encroaching into Oyo State, but how these minerals are leaving the country. Who are the buyers, where are they taking the lithium, and how is it being moved out without the knowledge of authorities?
Lithium is a strategic mineral used globally in batteries for phones, electric vehicles and energy storage. Its high market value makes it a target for illegal exploitation, especially in states with weak monitoring of mining activities.
Stakeholders are calling on federal and state authorities, including security agencies, the Ministry of Solid Minerals, and park officials, to immediately investigate, dismantle the network, and prosecute those involved. Residents say unless urgent action is taken, Oyo State risks facing the same security crisis seen in other mineral-rich states.
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By Editor Mahmoud Muhammad
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