The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested 19 suspected illegal miners during an operation in a forested area of Edo State.
The suspects were apprehended on August 28 by the Mining Marshal Unit of the Edo State Command following intelligence and surveillance on suspected illegal mining activities in the Okpella, Ososo and Egbetua forest axis.
The State Commandant, Saidi Akintayo, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Benin City, saying the operation targeted illegal gold mining activities across parts of Etsako East and Akoko-Edo Local Government Areas.
Akintayo said the operatives encountered difficult terrain, poor road networks, hills and thick vegetation before locating the mining site.
He said, “Our officers successfully located the illegal mining site and arrested 19 suspected illegal miners, while two others escaped into the forest.”
According to him, preliminary investigations showed that the suspects were allegedly involved in illegal gold mining and were working for two individuals identified as a man known as “Area” and Abu Mawain.
The NSCDC commander said 15 of the suspects were allegedly working for “Area”, while the remaining four were linked to Abu Mawain through a company identified as Gravity Pillars Concept Limited.
Items recovered during the operation included a pumping machine, five head pans, 13 carpets or rugs, six shovels, 15 mobile phones, a power bank and four identity cards bearing the name of Gravity Pillars Concept Limited.
Akintayo said the two alleged leaders remained at large, adding that security operatives were working to locate and arrest them.
He said the arrested suspects had made statements during preliminary investigations and would be prosecuted after the completion of investigations.
The commander warned that the NSCDC would intensify its efforts to tackle illegal mining and identify individuals financing or benefiting from the activities.
He stated, “I have therefore directed the Mining Marshal Unit to intensify operations and flush out illegal miners from mining sites across Edo State.”
Akintayo said the command would not limit its operations to those found at mining sites but would also pursue alleged financiers, sponsors and other beneficiaries of illegal mining activities.
He added, “We will leave no stone unturned in identifying not only those working at illegal mining sites but also the financiers, sponsors, and individuals benefiting from these activities.”
The NSCDC commander commended the Edo State Government for supporting the command’s operations and praised the officers involved in the forest raid for their courage and commitment.
He also appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist security agencies in identifying illegal mining operations.
Akintayo stressed that the command remained determined to protect the state’s natural resources from unlawful exploitation.
“The NSCDC Edo State Command remains resolute. Illegal mining has no place in Edo State, and anyone found violating the law will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he said.
