Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Abia State Command have arrested 10 suspects for alleged 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.”
According to Alfadarai, the activities of the illegal miners constitute economic sabotage to the nation and must not be allowed to continue.
He added that in addition to the negative impact their activities have on the country’s economy, the negative impact on the environment and residents is a bigger concern.
“Recently, the command profiled mining sites in Abia to identify approved mines, obtain details of licensed miners and enforce compliance with global best practices in the sector.
“These arrests send a strong signal to these illegal miners that things are about to get worse.” It is no longer business as usual,” he added.
However, he advised stakeholders in the sector to ensure they are operating with valid licenses and approved mines to avoid loss of revenue and avoid environmental risks associated with illegal mining activities. He added that the warning was now necessary to prevent this.
He assured everyone that the arrested suspects would be producedbeforethecompetent court aftertheinvestigationiscompleted.
Recovered items include truck with license plate, AAH 631XA, shovel, product samples, head pan ,etc.
