A team of security personnel with officials of the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources has apprehended 12 alleged illegal miners in the ongoing war against illegal mining in the state.
LEADERSHIP Friday gathered that the team visited mining sites in Gurusu where eight people were arrested and T Mama Area of Minna where four others were held.
Sources hinted from the monitoring team that the team also seized the tools used for mining by the illegal miners and those who claimed to have mining licences who continued mining despite the ban by the state government .
The ministry’s information officer Dibie Maureen said serious actions have been taken against illegal mining thus the arrests and seizure of the equipment.
She said, in a proactive effort to curb the problem of illegal mining in Minna, the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources, led by the permanent secretary Alhaji Yunusa Nahauni, conducted a comprehensive visit to various mining sites.
The information officer said security personnel from the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) and Nigeria Hunter’s and Forestry Security Services, uncovered illicit activities and made arrests and significant confiscations.
“The team’s attention was primarily focused on Gurusu, where they successfully apprehended eight individuals involved in illegal mining activities,” she said.
She added that the team proceeded to T. Mama Mandela road Minna, where they apprehended four people and confiscated five water pumps, three rolls of water and additional equipment used for illegal mining.
She said the suspects would be held at the NSCDC office to await further legal procedures.
