Nigerian govt shuts illegal mining site, arrests 3 suspects in FCT

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Nigerian govt shuts illegal mining site, arrests 3 suspects in FCT

The Federal Government has sealed off an illegal mining site at Gaube, Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, arresting three suspects in its ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and revenue loss in the mining sector.

In a statement from the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, the operation, conducted by the Mining Marshals led by Assistant Commandant John Onoja Attah, was made possible through meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance.

It noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects lacked any documentation authorizing their mining activities on the site.

According to the statement, a legitimate mining company with the necessary permits for the same location was unable to access the site due to the illegal miners’ activities and resistance.

The Commander of the Mining Marshals was quoted to have said, “This is a clear case of illegal miners displacing lawful miners and investors, which will not be tolerated.”

The suspects were said to have voluntarily confessed to the offense of illegal mining, admitting to having been operating on the site for over a year.

At the time of their arrest, over 2,000 tons of lithium was on the ground, highlighting the scale of the illegal operation, according to the statement.

“Whereas, we met about 2000 tons of lithium on the ground, the quantity of lithium mined since commencement of Operation can’t be quantified as they were not being recorded due to the illegality of their mining operations”, the Commander added.

The seized minerals and equipment on site have been marked as exhibits for prosecution, and further investigations are ongoing to uncover the extent of the illegal activities.