Operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have dismantled an illegal mineral storage network uncovered within the Onne axis of Rivers State.
The operation followed credible intelligence, and it was carried out by NSCDC mining marshals in collaboration with officials of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals.
The Corps, in a statement signed by its national public relations officer, CSC Babawale Afolabi, said the team was led by DSC Emmanuel Abiahu, and it discovered warehouses stockpiling mined minerals without valid permits, licences, or evidence of royalty payment to the federal government.
Afolabi stated that the activities did not only undermine the economy but also posed environmental and safety risks to residents.
The statement noted that the action was in direct response to the directive of the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, who has consistently emphasised the need to protect Nigeria’s solid mineral wealth and create a fair, regulated space for legitimate miners, investors, and communities that depend on the sector for livelihood.
It warned that all operators within the region must comply with the law or face decisive enforcement action, adding that the NSCDC remains committed to safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and the environment through sustained surveillance and collaboration with stakeholders.
“The action was in direct response to the directive of the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, who has consistently emphasized the need to protect Nigeria’s solid mineral wealth and create a fair, regulated space for legitimate miners, investors, and communities that depend on the sector for livelihood.
“He warned that all operators within the region must comply with the law or face decisive enforcement action, adding that the Corps remains committed to safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and the environment through sustained surveillance and collaboration with stakeholders.
“The NSCDC called on citizens to continue supporting security agencies with credible information that will help curb illegal mining and ensure that the benefits of Nigeria’s natural resources serve the people and the nation at large,” the statement said.
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