C/River: NSCDC Arrests 21 Suspected Illegal Miners

Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 21 suspected illegal miners in Cross River State. 

The suspects were arrested in Utanga community, Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River on May 11, 2023, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. 

News Rider reports that the items recovered from the suspects include pumping machines, shovels, diggers, and head pans.

State Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Samuel Fadeyi, who paraded the suspects on Monday at the NSCDC headquarters in Calabar, said they were arrested at the illegal mining site in Utanga community.

Fadeyi hinted that illegal mining is capable of worsening security challenges and causing natural disaster in the community.

“Our search light was able to identify a place in Utanga community in Obanliku Local Government Area where we raided, and caught 21 suspects in the act of illegal mining", he said. 

He noted that the command is currently profiling the suspects, who would be prosecuted as soon as the investigation is concluded. 

Fadeyi lamented that some communities are complicit in illegal mining, as they feed from the proceeds of the crime without considering the dangers created in the environment. 

He stated that illegal activities could attract criminals and warlords, while causing insecurity and disaster in the affected communities. 

The commandant wondered why the culprits failed to hold talks with the Federal Mines office to obtain a license and go through the rudiments of mining before delving into such practice. 

Federal Mines Officer in the state, Mr Mayowa Omosebi, said that the ministry have been strategising over time on how to arrest the suspects and end illegal mining in the area.

He informed that the office is challenged in the area of funding that would have empowered them to burst illegal mining sites and arrest the culprits. 

“There is no place illegal mining activities is taking place without the consent of the land owners; I had organised a stakeholders forum to educate them on the need to do the right thing.

“The license for mining process is very straight forward, and we keep advising them to explore the right channels and shun illegality,” he added.

One of the suspects, who is the Youth Leader of Utanga community, Vincent Abien, said though he was conversant with the excavation exercise but he did not know that it was illegal mining.