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See How Over 100 Illegal Miners Were Arrested in Cross River

Published by admin on January 11th, 2025.

See How Over 100 Illegal Miners Were Arrested in Cross River

By Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar

More than 100 illegal miners were apprehended in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State during a recent operation. The crackdown, reportedly orchestrated by the State Security Adviser, Major General (retd) O. U. Obono, led to the arrest of the suspects early on Saturday morning as they attempted to bypass an army checkpoint in Ugep.

The miners, believed to be mostly foreigners, were traveling in empty trucks heading from the northern regions of the state to Calabar, the state capital. Many of the detained individuals were between the ages of 12 and 26 and were found in possession of various mining equipment, including shovels, diggers, and drilling machines.

Initial questioning of the suspects revealed that several of them admitted to being non-Nigerians. Authorities have not yet confirmed specific details, as Police Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo, stated she had not received an official update regarding the arrests.

Cross River State has been grappling with a surge of illegal mining activities, often carried out by foreign nationals exploiting its natural resources. In a related incident last year, Bette Philip Obi, a member of the State House of Assembly, raised concerns after over 1,000 illegal miners flooded his community, prompting urgent calls for action against the growing problem in the Boki Local Government Area.