Police parade 96 illegal miners in Niger

Ninety-six illegal miners were paraded by the Niger State Police Command at its headquarters in Minna yesterday. The illegal miners were arrested by a joint patrol of security agencies in a mining site located in Tunga Goro area of Minna in Chachanga Local Government of Niger State, it was gathered. The miners consist of 63 […]

Ninety-six illegal miners were paraded by the Niger State Police Command at its headquarters in Minna yesterday.

The illegal miners were arrested by a joint patrol of security agencies in a mining site located in Tunga Goro area of Minna in Chachanga Local Government of Niger State, it was gathered.

The miners consist of 63 females and 33 males.

Parading the suspects, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mohammed Dan-Ina Abubakar, said their activities were contrary to the Niger State law prohibiting illegal mining in the state.

“On September 24, 2019, at about 1400hrs a joint patrol team comprising of the police, Army and Civil Defense, headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, ACP Ibrahim Adamu, stormed an illegal mining site at Tunga Goro area in Chanchanga LGA of Niger State and arrested 96 suspects, 63 females and 33 males for illegal mining activities in the state,” he said.

He said two single barrel guns, nine diggers, charms, 12 head pans, 11 hoes, three motorcycles, one generator and 29 handsets were recovered from the suspects at the site.

Other exhibits recovered, according to DSP Abubakar include; one Toyota vehicle with registration number AQ 516 MNA, two bags of precious stone and gold particles, some gold measuring equipment, shovels and two live ammunition.

He appealed to residents to assist security agencies in ridding the state of criminals by giving useful information that will lead to their arrest.

He said that the suspects will soon been charged to court.