(Illegal mining. Photo Credit: Ripples Nigeria)
The Taraba Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce has arrested two suspected illegal miners following a raid on a gold mining site at Mayo Kam in Gantu village, Bali Local Government Area, on Monday.
The Chairman of the taskforce, Mr Emmanuel Jamu, told newsmen in Jalingo that the operation was carried out after weeks of intelligence gathering.
He said security operatives had to navigate difficult terrain to reach the remote mining site for the raid.
According to him, most of the suspected illegal miners escaped into nearby forests before operatives arrived, but two suspects were apprehended while attempting to flee.
He added that the taskforce recovered several items allegedly used for illegal mining, including pumping machines, digging equipment, generators, and mineral-processing materials.
Jamu warned that the taskforce would keep up its operations regardless of whether suspects were present at mining sites, stressing that those evading arrest would eventually be caught and made to face the full weight of the law.
He appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to support the taskforce with credible information that could lead to the arrest of other suspects still at large, noting that the two arrested suspects were currently in custody and that operations would continue in other identified high-risk areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Taraba Government suspended all mining activities across the state on June 19 over security concerns, subsequently setting up the Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce to enforce the directive.
