The Edo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested 15 suspected illegal gold miners in Egbetua Community, Ososo, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.
The Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Gbenga Agun, disclosed it this Thursday and said the arrest was carried out by operatives of the Auchi Area Command at Ode Forest in Egbetua on Monday, January 27, 2025.
Agun noted that the NSCDC officers, who acted on credible information, stormed the Ode Forest and caught 15 suspects.
He stressed that it is the legal responsibility of the NSCDC to protect both the people and the country’s solid mineral resources.
He cautioned illegal miners in the state to desist from such activities, adding that it is the command’s duty to flush out illegal miners and other criminal elements.
“It is our statutory duty to arrest and prosecute those engaged in illegal mining of any solid minerals across the country,” Agun stated.
Recall that an illegal gold mining site, which had been operating in Egbetua for over 25 years, with hundreds of miners engaging in unregulated activities, was recently discovered.
Residents said these illegal mining operations have led to significant socioeconomic and security challenges in their community. They claimed that the activities have resulted in the loss of ecosystems, heightened insecurity, and poverty, especially for peasant farmers who depend on environmental resources for their livelihood.