Seven suspected illegal miners have been arrested in Jaguna, Kogi State.
The arrest was made by the Mining Marshals during a clearance exercise in the area, off Iye/Odogbe communities in Yagba East Local Government Area.
The arrests occurred during a clearance exercise conducted by the Mining Marshals on July 15, 2024.
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Segun Tomori, the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, confirmed this in a statement released on Saturday.
The statement reads, “On 15th July 2024, Jaguna was raided by the Mining Marshals, resulting in the arrest. Labourers on-site were given a directive to vacate the area within five days.
“Rather than comply with the directive, the illegal miners mobilised additional workers and fortified the site with armed protection. This led to the latest operation by the Mining Marshals to dislodge them.
“The follow-up action was necessary after the illegal miners also ignored appeals from community traditional rulers to vacate the site. This was to allow the licensed mineral titleholders unhindered access to the area for legitimate operations.
“For over 16 years, the rightful license holders had been unable to access the site due to the activities of armed illegal miners. Acting on intelligence reports that the illegal operators remained defiant, the Mining Marshals moved in last week, neutralised resistance from armed guards, and successfully cleared the area.”
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ACC John Attah Onoja, Commander of the Mining Marshals, underlined the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake,’s steadfast commitment to eradicate illegal mining in Nigeria.
“He issued a stern warning to anyone involved in these illegal activities, regardless of their status, to desist or face the full consequences of the law,” Onoja stated.
The Mining Marshals, who work for the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, are tasked to protecting the mining environment and increasing investor trust in the industry.
