The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command in collaboration with the Federal mines office, have apprehended six suspects, including a Chinese, over alleged illegal mining activities in the state.
The arrests followed a tip-off about the suspects’ operations at an unlicensed mining site in Odele Aguleri, the Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SC Edwin Okadigbo, disclosed this to newsmen in a statement released on Thursday, December 5.
Okadigbo gave the names of the suspects as Udoka Nwankwo (25), Amaka Samuel (18), Onyi Ijeoma (45), Chimezie Aniefuna (25), Chinaza Omrba (18), and the Chinese national simply identified as “Babajeje” (47).
He stated that the arrests were part of efforts to sanitise the mining sector and curb revenue losses to the Federal Government.
“The suspects were apprehended for mining without valid licences, failing to pay surface rents and haulage fees to the state government, and evading royalties due to the Federal Government, in violation of Section 33 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act,” the statement read.
The State Commandant, Olatunde Maku, reiterated the NSCDC’s commitment to tackling illegal mining, describing the practice as a significant threat to the nation’s economy.
