by Nurat Uthman
Three Chinese nationals and two Nigerians have been arrested for illegal mining in Nasarawa State, the Federal Government has said.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in a statement by his spokesman, Segun Tomori, in Abuja.
He said the suspects were arrested at an illegal mining site in Rafin-Gabas, Agwada, located in Kokona local government area.
“The suspects were arrested for mining without lawful authorisation. Some of the minerals being mined include fluorite, zinc, lead, and tin,” Alake said.
He said the company involved started operations in 2021, resulting in significant revenue losses to the federal government.
The ministry’s mining marshals, set up to safeguard mining sites across the country, carried out the arrests based on credible intelligence.
“The arrested suspects confessed to having been on illicit activities at the site spanning five cadastral units since December 15, 2021.
“The company defied all lawful advice to regularise their activities and continued syphoning the nation’s resources, causing significant revenue losses to the Federal Government,” the statement read.
The minister stated that over 200 illegal miners have been arrested so far, with about 140 undergoing prosecution nationwide.
