At an illegal mining site in the Kogi hamlet of Jaguna, Yagba East Local Government Area, the Federal Government has cleared the area.
The action was a part of measures to combat illegal mining and sanitise the industry, according to a statement made by Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, through his media assistant Segun Tomori.
He stated that Mining Marshalls, a special security unit designed to secure mining sites, recently carried out the clearance operation to ensure compliance with the government’s instruction for miners to leave the region.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on July 19, the minister revealed that an operation had been carried out in the town to remove the armed illegal miners. According to the minister, mining marshals invaded Jaguna, a forested area, and arrested seven alleged illicit gold miners.
“Labourers on-site were told to leave the area within five days. “Rather than obeying, the miners gathered more personnel and barricaded the site with armed guards.
“The illicit miners also refused requests from traditional rulers and other community leaders to quit the location so that licensed mineral titleholders could conduct lawful operations without interference. “Their operations have stopped lawfully permitted miners from entering the area including four cadastral units for 16 years. “Reports indicate that the nefarious activities have gone unhindered for more than 20 years,” according to a statement.
It said that the scenario demanded the most recent follow-up action by the mining marshals. “For more than 16 years, legitimate mining licence holders have been unable to access the site due to the actions of armed criminals miners.
“Acting on intelligence reports suggesting that the illegal operators had remained defiant, the Mining Marshals, last week, stormed the site, neutralised resistance from the armed gangs, and successfully cleared the area,” they stated.
Bottom Line
The Federal Government’s crackdown on illegal mining operations in Kogi State represents an important step towards addressing the growing concerns over illegal resource extraction in Nigeria. Illegal mining has been a major issue in the country, leading to economic losses, environmental degradation, and conflicts with legitimate mining operations.
By clearing the illegal mining site in Jaguna, the government is signaling its commitment to enforcing mining laws and protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources
