The operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), attached to the unit of the mining marshals, have announced the arrest of illegal miners in Kogi and Ondo. From the arrest, seven persons were arrested in Kogi State.
The arrest was disclosed by Segun Tomori, spokesperson of Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, on Tuesday in Abuja. He explained that the suspects were arrested in the Ikah community of Ankpa LGA in Kogi state.
In March, the federal government launched the mining marshals, a unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to checkmate illegal mining of solid minerals across the country.
He further disclosed that the included two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, while four other persons were arrested at an illegal mining station in Oluwa forest reserve, Odigbo LGA of Ondo state.
The statement disclosed that the suspects were arrested from an illegal mining site located in a government-reserved area. The suspect after an interrogation by the authorities disclosed that they lack any form of authorisation to carryout the operation of mining in the locations.
The minister disclosed that the suspects in Kogi and Ondo states have been taken to the Federal High court, Abuja where they will be facing diffrent charges relating to their offences.
The minister also noted that the Federal government was committed to eliminating all forms of illegal mining activities in illegal mining activities across the country through the use of technology. He disclosed that the federal government plans to use satellite monitoring mining sites.
The minister advised all individuals involved in illegal mining activities in the mining sector to embrace a new turn and take heed of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA). He disclosed the plans of the government to make public all senior individuals involved in the activities of illegal mining in the states.
