JUST IN: Police arrest 250 Miners in Zamfara
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…Allege mining, criminality have links in the state
By Ibrahim HassanWuyo
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 stare, Mr Usman Nagoggo told journalists in Gusau that 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 banditary, 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 matching 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 offence 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.
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