By Stella Odueme
As parts of efforts to combat illegal mining and revenue loss in the mining sector of the economy, the Federal Government has and sealed an illegal mining site at Gaube, Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and arrested three suspects.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tom originally, said that the operation was undertaken by the Mining Marshals led by Assistant Commandant John Onoja Attached.
The statement noted that the exercise was made possible through meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance.
The Mining Marshals, a specialized unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have been working tirelessly to identify and dismantle illegal mining operations across the country.
According to the Commander of the Mining Marshals;
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects lacked any documentation authorizing their mining activities on the site.
“Furthermore, a legitimate mining company with the necessary permits for the same location was unable to access the site due to the illegal miners’ activities and resistance.
“This is a clear case of illegal miners displacing lawful miners and investors, which will not be tolerated.
“The suspects, who voluntarily confessed to the offence of illegal mining, admitted to having been operating on the site for over a year. And, at the time of their arrest, over 2,000 tons of lithium was on the ground, highlighting the scale of the illegal operation.
“Whereas we met about 2000 tons of lithium on the ground, the quantity of lithium mined since commencement of Operation can’t be quantified as they were not being recorded due to the illegality of their mining operations”.
He stated further that; “The seized minerals and equipment on site have been marked as exhibits for prosecution, and further investigations are ongoing to uncover the extent of the illegal activities.
“The Commander of the Mining Marshals emphasized that this crackdown is part of a broader effort to combat revenue loss in the mining sector of Nigeria.
“The success of this operation is attributed to the collaborative efforts of the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake and the Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.”
