Three Chinese nationals and two Nigerian accomplices were at the weekend arrested by a team of Mining Marshals on a mining site located at Rafin-Gabas, Agwada Area Council, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
A statement by the Special Assistant, Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, said the marshals effected the arrest acting on credible intelligence on the activities of the illegal miners on the site.
The statement reads, “The Federal Government’s onslaught against illegal mining continues to gather momentum as the Mining Marshals, acting on credible intelligence, last week swooped on an illegal mining site in Nasarawa state.
“The operation led to the arrest of three Chinese nationals and two Nigerians on a mining site located at Rafin-Gabas, Agwada Area Council, Kokona LGA, Nasarawa state. The suspects were arrested for mining without lawful authorisation. Some of the minerals being mined include Fluorite, Zinc, Lead and Tin.”
Tomori further said that the arrested suspects confessed to have been on illicit activities at the site spanning five cadastral units since December 15, 2021.
The minister’s aide noted that the arrested suspects have defied all lawful advices to regularise their activities, adding that by their illegal activities the suspects “continue siphoning the nation’s resources, causing significant revenue losses to the federal government.”
The Senate ad-hoc Committee investigating alleged corruption and inefficiency in Ajaokuta Steel Company and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) has allegedly uncovered illegal mining activities at the NIOMCO in Itakpe, Kogi.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, raised the alarm during a recent oversight visit to the company, according to a statement by her media aide, Isreal Arogbonlo, in Abuja.
She expressed concern over the illegal extraction of gold and other precious minerals within the company premises, despite its mining operations ceasing in 2008.
The committee discovered that illegal miners from northern Nigeria have been operating unhindered, gaining entrance to the company due to its lack of fencing.
The miners claimed to be working for various gold dealers.
