James Kase
Nigeria Police Arrest 250 Miners in Zamfara State: Police in Zamfara state, Friday, arrested 250 illegal miners. Those arrested included a foreigner, while items recovered from the culprits were 12 pumping machines,29 motorcycles, chemicals for making gold, and unrefined gold sifting materials.
The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara state, Mr. Usman Nagoggo told journalists in Gusau that the government had felt that there was a nexus between the criminality in Zamfara and mining.
“It is known fact that the Federal Government had last year, at the heat of banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping banned all forms of mining activities in Zamfara State,” he said.
He said Intelligence report at their disposal and other leading security agents in the state, revealed that some unpatriotic Nigerians in concert with foreigners were deeply engaged in illegal mining activities in the state.
According to him, “on 20th April 2020, the Commissioner of Police led a team of Policemen to one of the major mining sites at Kwalli in Bukkuyum LGA. The result was that some Chinese Nationals and their Nigerian collaborators were arrested and have since been handed over to Force CID, Force Headquarters Abuja”.
Nagogo said the magnitude of arrest led both the Inspector General of Police and Chief of Army staff to give a marching order to security agents to go after these illegal miners.
“On 21st May 2020 the Brigade Commander 1 Brigade Nigeria Army, Gusau, Brigadier General O. M Bello led a team comprising of Army, Police and DSS to raid the mining sites in Anka, Bukkuyum and Gummi LGAs which led to the arrest of two hundred and fifty (250) Nigerians and One(1) Burkinabe national”.
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The police commissioner said that exhibits recovered included among others, twelve (12) pumping machines, twenty-nine (29) motorcycles, chemicals for making gold, and unrefined Gold sifting materials.
“All the suspects have confessed to the offense and would be arraigned before the court of competent jurisdiction whenever the court resumes sitting.”
“Let me sound a word of warning that until and unless the Federal Government unbanned the mining activities, anybody who goes against the law will be arrested and severely dealt with according to the law of the land”.
“Raiding of illegal miners will be continued until all illegal mining activities come to an end in the state,” he said.
