Two individuals were recently arrested for engaging in illegal mining activities by operatives from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) , Anambra State Command.
Based on credible intelligence, the command said the suspects were arrested around 11pm on Tuesday.
The State Commandant of NSCDC, Maku Olatunde, while parading the suspects at the state headquarters on Wednesday, commended the command's Mining Marshal Squad led by Agunwa Osita, for acting on "the strength of the information to apprehend the economic saboteurs."
Maku said, "The suspects, Madueke Akpuchukwu 'm' aged 53 from Awomama town in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State and Chimezie Ezenduka 'm' aged 54, of No 4 All Mekus Drive, Federal Housing, Onitsha were apprehended at Igbariam conveying suspected solid mineral (Kaolin) without relevant permit.
"Preliminary investigations showed that the 40-ton truck with no registration number was loaded with 600 bags of Kaolin and covered with tarpaulin to disguise as cement consignment."
Maku, who gave the value of the solid minerals at over N20m, said "It was excavated at a sealed site around Nando and being transported outside the state without waybill or licence permitting the suspects to deal in mining."
The NSCDC boss also revealed that the activities of illegal miners have been depriving Anambra State of the much-needed revenue to bring the dividend of democracy to the people..
"NSCDC will continue to check the activities of those engaging in illegal mining across the state. It is not going to be business as usual. The Corps would be unrelenting in discharging its core mandate of checkmating and flushing out illegal miners from the state.
"They should either relocate from the state or stop immediately before the long hands of the law catches up on them," he added.
He said the suspects will be arraigned in court at the end of ongoing investigations.
He, however, called on the people of the state to report illegal mining activities within their domains and continue to share useful information on anyone involved in unlawful mineral-related practices and environmental degradation for prompt response.
Mr. Akpuchukwu, one of the illegal miners, pleaded for mercy and, in a confessional statement, admitted to being in the business of transporting Kaolin to needed companies for eight years without any certification as a licensed miner.
