Not less than 21 suspected illegal miners have been arrested in Cross River State by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
The suspects had been arrested by the NSCDC personnel in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Utanga, Obanliku Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, who had been arrested on May 11, were paraded on Monday, May 15 by Mr Samuel Fadeyi, the state Commandant of the NSCDC, at the NSCDC headquarters in Calabar, the state capital.
Fadeyi had meanwhile, warned that illegal mining could worsen security challenges and cause natural disasters in the community.