The Oyo State Government has suspended the Sobaloju of Ofiki, Oba Jacob Adefabi Sobaloju, over alleged involvement in illegal mining activities and violations of state mining regulations.
The suspension, which took effect on January 5, 2026, was linked to alleged breaches of Executive Order 001/2023 governing mining operations in the state.
According to the government, the monarch was accused of issuing consent letters to mining companies without authorisation and permitting mining activities within government-gazetted forest reserves.
The action, authorities said, was taken in the public interest to protect state assets and preserve designated conservation areas.
In a letter signed by the Director of Chieftaincy Matters, Olajire A.M., the monarch was also accused of encouraging trespassing on government assets.
He was ordered to vacate the palace of the Onitọ of Ito pending the conclusion of investigations, with the suspension described as a precautionary step to safeguard the integrity of the probe.
Meanwhile, Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have maintained that a businessman, Mohammed Dahiru Salihu, popularly known as Mundasa, remains a person of interest in an ongoing illegal mining investigation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), despite his public denial of involvement.
The Marshals said five suspects arrested in December 2025 in Kuje Area Council were linked to illegal mining sites in Abuja and Nasarawa State, with preliminary investigations allegedly naming Salihu as the coordinator.
Salihu, however, denied the claims, insisting he was never invited or questioned by any security agency.