Osun govt urges residents not to be panic over storage aircraft surveillance
By Ibrahim Adeleke
Following the consistent movement of mini aircraft specially designed for airborne geophysical survey, the Osun State Government has urged citizens and residents in the state not to panic as their security and safety remain its topmost priority.
The government which noted that it was aware of the yellow-painted helicopter that has been flying around some parts of the state, added that the exercise was designed for an airborne geophysical survey to determine accurate mineral locations in the selected areas with state-of-the-art aeromagnetic mechanisms.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Wole Oyebamiji to douse the possible tension that may accompany the perceived strange air surveillance.
Recall that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel had a few days ago, through its Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) Project, announced its readiness to embark on a 16 weeks sensitisation campaign in 19 states of the federation.
The affected States are Osun, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Cross-River, Akwa-Ibom, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Taraba, Bauchi, Niger, Benue, Enugu and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The state government said the exercise is being conducted across 112 local government areas within the said 19 states which informed the need for the aircraft to fly at low altitudes.
The statement implored the residents to continue to go about their lawful activities as adequate environmental safety measures have been put in place to ensure a seamless process in the state.
“This exercise embarked upon by the Federal Government is designed to obtain airborne geophysical data which are essential documents of the National Geological Infrastructure, as they provide objective information on the spatial distribution of the geological information and tectonics,” the statement added.
