Seven individuals have been taken into custody due to their involvement in illicit mining activities at a gold site located in Kogi State’s Yagba East Local Government Area.
Segun Tomori, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake’s Special Assistant on Media, made this revelation in a statement on Friday.
Mining marshals removed the illicit miners during the operation, whose operations had barred licenced miners from “accessing the site for 16 years.”
“The nationwide onslaught of the Federal Government against illegal mining has gathered momentum with the arrest of several suspects allegedly involved in the illegal mining of gold in Yagba East LGA, Kogi State,” the statement, which was partially translated, said.
“The operation, carried out by the mining marshals in Iyeh Odogbe, Isanlu community of Yagba East LGA, involved dislodging illegal miners whose activities have prevented lawfully authorised miners with licenses covering four cadastral units from accessing the site for 16 years. Reports indicate that the nefarious activities have gone unhindered for over 20 years.
“After the successful operation, site workers were given five days to vacate the site completely as operations to effectively secure the area and ensure it is fully recovered for lawful mining activities would continue in earnest,” the statement continued.
“It will be recalled that a similar operation was carried out recently by the mining marshals in Umunneochi LG of Abia State, leading to the arrest of eight Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, suspected to be involved in illegal mining.
“The trial of the suspects commenced last week at the Federal High Court, Abuja division, and they were remanded in Kuje prison until the adjourned date.”
“The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, under the leadership of Dele Alake, is committed to fighting the menace of illegal mining headlong and bringing culprits to book,” the statement emphasised.
