Arraigned suspected illegal miners
Police arraign Chinese, Nigerian over illegal mining in Abuja
The Federal Government has charged arrested suspected illegal miners in Kogi and Ondo states by the Mining Marshals to the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The mining marshals, in an operation code-named “Operation Hayakin Kogo,” in the Ikah Community of Ankpa LGA, Kogi State arrest of two (2) Chinese nationals and a Nigerian for illegal mining activities in violation of existing mining regulations.
However, in a related development, the Mining Marshals also raided an illegal gold mining site in the Ogunlepa, Oluwa Forest Reserve, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, where four suspects were arrested.
The suspects, who were caught in illegally mining gold in a Government Reserved Area, confessed to the crime during interrogation that they lacked the necessary licenses or authorisation to carry out their operations.
Consequently, the suspects from both Kogi and Ondo states are already facing their charges in court.
Indeed, the Federal Government had set up the 2,570-strong Mining Marshals, drawn from the ranks of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to combat illegal mining in the country.
The mining marshalls, an initiative of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, is part of his 7-point agenda, hinged on sanitising and reforming the mining sector.
The minister had reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to eliminating illegal mining in the country by bolstering the operations of the Mining Marshals with the infusion of technology and imminent satellite monitoring of mining sites.
He urged those still involved in illegal activities in the mining sector to turn a new leaf and comply with the relevant sections of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NNMA) to regularise their operations.
He stressed that the Federal Government is resolved to wield the big stick to end illegal mining in the country.
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