Following
the arrest of 20 illegal miners, including eight Chinese citizens in Plateau State on the order of the National
Security Adviser, Ali Monguno, the Minister of
Mines and Steel Development,
Kayode Fayemi, has accused security operatives of aiding and abetting illegal
mining activities.
The former
Governor of Ekiti now Minister of Mines and Steel Development, who addressed
security operatives in Kampani Zurak village in Bashar chiefdom of the state,
said;
“It is sad
that security operatives are giving them (illegal miners) security cover. If
not, why do people guard this site?” the minister said. Fayemi described the
illegal miners as economic saboteurs. .
“These
miners are illegal. Government did not give them permission to do this, they
are economic saboteurs. This cannot happen anywhere else in the world and we
will not allow it anywhere in Nigeria. We do not want these miners,” a fuming
Mr. Fayemi told the security agents.
Also
speaking on the incident, the Governor of the State, Simon Lalong, said
government would sanction any traditional ruler found to have connived with the
miners to exploit the community. Lalong also threatened to transfer the
divisional police officer in charge of Wase LGA for allowing the illegal miners
excavate the land.
Lalong, who
was visibly furious over the activities of the miners, alleged that the miners
excavate minerals from the site worth N5 billion monthly. In 2014, this
community lost over 10 people due to contaminated water following activities of
the illegal miners.
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