Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, says three foreign nationals have been arrested over alleged illegal mining activities in Rafin Gabas, Kokona LGA of Nasarawa state.
A statement issued on Thursday by Segun Tomori, the minister’s special assistant on media, said the ministry’s mining marshals dismantled the illegal mining site, which was allegedly protected by some compromised security personnel.
The statement quoted Alake as describing the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against illegal mining in the country, noting that efforts are in place to arrest other fleeing suspects.
“This is a crucial milestone in our tireless efforts to sanitize the mining sector. We are committed to cracking down on illegal mining operations and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable,” the statement reads.
Advertisement
John Onoja, commander of the mining marshals, said an investigation has been launched to identify the compromised security personnel, adding that the site has been sealed off following the raid.
Onoja noted that the company behind the illegal operations and some of the suspects at large have pending criminal charges in the federal high court in Abuja.
Advertisement
