FG arraigns 2 Chinese, 5 others for illegal mining activities

Federal Government has arraigned seven suspected illegal miners arrested in Kogi and Ondo states as part of efforts to sanitise the mining sector. Segun Tomori, the Special Assistant (Media) to Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development said this in a statement on Monday. He said three of the suspects, two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian, were arrested by Mining Marshalls for violation of existing mining regulations in an operation code-named “Operation Hayakin Kogo,” in Ikah Community of Ankpa LGA, Kogi State .

The statement said the Mining Marshals also raided an illegal gold mining site in the Ogunlepa, Oluwa Forest Reserve in Odigbo Local Government areas of Ondo State where four suspects were arrested. “These individuals, caught in the act of illegally mining gold in a Government Reserved Area, confessed during interrogation that they lacked the necessary licenses or authorisation to carry out their operations. The suspects from both Kogi and Ondo states have since been charged to the Federal High Court, Abuja,” the statement said.