Police Arrest 3 Chinese, 21 Others During Raid On Illegal Mining Site In Nasarawa

A Joint Task Force (JTF) code-named “Safe G-7” has raided an illegal mining site located in a village bordering Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The raid followed intelligence verified by the JTF which led to a two-day operational patrol around the area.

The FCT police command in a statement signed by its spokesperson DSP Josephine Adeh revealed that the JFT subsequently discovered a camp of illegal miners at Azam village, Nasarawa State.

The presence of the security operatives eventually led to a gun duel between the security operatives and some gunmen, said Adeh.

She disclosed that a total of 21 illegal miners and three Chinese nationals were arrested.

Adeh said, “The miners who were said to have established a symbiotic relationship with bandits/ Kidnappers engaged the team in a gun duel and were forced to retreat, subsequently over powered by the superior fire power of the JTF and arrested.

“The team recorded the successful arrest of about 21 illegal miners on the sites including foreign nationals.

“Majority amongst the arrested suspects were from the various bordering states, confessing to have enjoyed unfiltered cooperation with the head of the local community who was immediately taken into custody alongside the arrested suspects.

“The three male Chinese national Suspects arrested in connection to the offense will be officially handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, with a view of establishing their immigration status in Nigeria.

“Upon arrest, exhibits recovered included: Refined and unrefined gold, two gold weigh scales, criminal charms, seventeen mobile phones, Four motorcycles, Two dane guns, shovels, cutlasses, two pumping machines, one generator, substances suspected to be Cannabis, and other forms of hard drugs.

“The two suspects linked with the possession of the aforementioned drugs will be handed over to the NDLEA. Investigation is ongoing and upon completion suspects will be charged to court”.

On his part, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Babaji Sunday, urged residents to not relent in cooperating with the Police to report prompt and accurate information to support the command’s anti-criminality crusade.