The Minister of Solid Minerals Development has announced that Mining Marshals successfully dismantled a heavily fortified illegal mining site in Rafin Gabas, Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the minister, said in a statement that the site, which had long evaded law enforcement, was reportedly protected by compromised security personnel.
The statement further noted that, following a strategic and well-coordinated operation, mining marshals penetrated the stronghold, leading to the arrest of three foreign nationals involved in the illicit activities. Several other suspects managed to flee, allegedly with the assistance of security operatives.
According to the statement, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, commended the operation, calling it a significant breakthrough in government’s ongoing fight against illegal mining.
“This is a crucial milestone in our tireless efforts to sanitise the mining sector. We are committed to cracking down on illegal mining operations and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” Alake said.
The statement also quoted John Attah Onoja, Commander of the Mining Marshals, who confirmed that the site had been sealed off following the raid.
“A manhunt is currently underway for the suspects who escaped, and investigations are ongoing to identify any security personnel involved in facilitating these illegal activities,” he added.
Onoja further revealed that the company behind the illegal operations, along with some of the suspects on the run, face pending criminal charges in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
It is also noteworthy that during the one-year anniversary of the Mining Marshals, the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating illegal mining. He announced plans to enhance the operational capacity of the Mining Marshals through satellite monitoring of mining sites and the provision of state-of-the-art equipment, among other initiatives.