The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended 10 individuals suspected of engaging in illegal mining.
While parading the suspects in Umuahia on Thursday, the state Commandant, Usman Alfadarai said the arrests were made on Friday, February 16, 2024.
He said his men “successfully arrested 10 suspects for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities at different mining sites in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.”
He added that the arrests were made “in strict compliance to the directives of the Commandant General, Ahmed Abububakar to end the activities of illegal miners in all mining sites across the country.”
Alfadarai stated that the actions of the illegal miners amount to economic sabotage against the nation and cannot be tolerated.
He emphasized that aside from the detrimental impact on the economy, the adverse effects on the environment and local residents are of even greater concern.
“The command recently profiled the mining sites in Abia to identify the approved mining sites, got details of licensed miners and enforced compliance to global best practices in the sector.
“These arrests are strong signals to those illegal miners that it’s no longer business as usual,” he added.
However, he urged stakeholders in the sector to ensure that they operate with valid licenses and adhere to approved mining sites. He emphasized that this warning is crucial to prevent revenue losses and environmental hazards linked with illegal mining activities.
He assured everyone that the arrested suspects would face charges in a court of competent jurisdiction once investigations are concluded.
Among the items recovered from them are a truck with the number plate AAH 631XA, shovels, product samples, and head pans.