The Osun State Government has urged its residents not to panic over the consistent movement of mini-aircraft specially designed for airborne geophysical survey in some parts of the state.

Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, on Wednesday, reiterated that their security and safety remain the topmost priority of the government.

The PUNCH reported that the yellow painted helicopter has been flying around some parts of the state.

However, the state government said it was aware of the chopper’s activities adding 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.

The government further disclosed that the exercise was being conducted across 112 Local Government Areas within the said 19 states, which had informed the need for the aircraft to fly at low altitudes.

It further read in part, “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.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel had, a few days ago, through its Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification Project, announced its readiness to embark on a 16-week 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.