3 Chinese, others arrested over illegal mining in Nasarawa

Mining marshals, acting on credible intelligence, have arrested three Chinese nationals and two Nigerians on a mining site at Rafin-Gabas, Agwada Area Council, in Kokona Local Government of Nasarawa State.

Segun Tomori, the special assistant on media to Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, who confirmed the incident, said that the suspects were arrested for mining without lawful authorisation.

“Some of the minerals being mined include Fluorite, Zinc, Lead, and Tin. The arrested suspects confessed to having been on illicit activities at the site spanning five cadastral units since December 15, 2021”, he said.

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He added that the company defied all lawful pieces of advice to regularise its activities and continued siphoning the nation’s resources, causing significant revenue losses to the federal government.

The 2,570-strong mining marshals, an elite squad of specially trained officers drafted from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have continued the battle against illegal miners, with over 200 arrests so far, and about 140 undergoing prosecution across the country.

He said the Federal Government was committed to sanitising the mining sector. Hence, the operations of the mining marshals would be unrelenting until the mining environment is secure and safe for genuine investors.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.