NSCDC Mining Marshals Arrest 17 Suspects, Seize Trucks, Vehicles in Kogi
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has achieved a significant breakthrough in its continued crackdown on illegal mining activities, arresting 17 suspects and impounding three trucks along with 39 motorcycles in the Odiagbo-Okaba district of Ankpa Local Government Area, Kogi State.
The operation, led by Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, was carried out by the NSCDC Mining Marshals as part of an intensified campaign to cleanse the mining sector of economic saboteurs. The crackdown was prompted by numerous complaints from local residents about severe environmental degradation and potential public health risks allegedly caused by unregulated mining operations in the area.
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The NSCDC Mining Marshals is a special task force established through a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Ministry of Interior, with a mandate to enforce mining regulations, combat illegal mining, and protect Nigeria’s vast solid mineral resources.
Commenting on the operation, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, reaffirmed the Corps’ unwavering commitment to safeguarding critical national assets and rooting out criminal elements who are exploiting the country’s mineral wealth for personal gain.
“We are committed to salvaging the Nigerian economy from the grip of saboteurs who disregard mining laws and degrade our environment,” said Dr. Audi. “This operation is a clear message that illegal mining will no longer be tolerated.”
The development comes as Kogi State intensifies its efforts to sanitize the mining sector, protect the fragile ecosystem, and safeguard host communities from the dangers associated with illegal mining.
By PRNigeria
