Police arrests 96 illegal miners in Niger

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

At least about 96 illegal miners have been rounded up by a joint patrol of security agencies in a mining site located in Tunga Goro area in Chachanga Local Government Area of Minna, Niger State.
The Niger State Police Command, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mohammed Abubakar disclosed this yesterday adding that the arrested illegal miners consisted of 63 females and 33 males.
He explained that, the activities of the suspects were contrary to the Niger State law prohibiting illegal mining in the state.
“On 24th September 2019 at about 1400hrs a team of Joint Patrol team comprising of the Police, Army and Civil Defense headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, ACP Ibrahim Adamu stormed illegal mining site at Tunga Goro area in Chanchanga LGA of Niger state and arrested 96 suspects, 63 females and 33 males for illegal mining activities in the state,” he stated.
He said that two single barrel guns, nine diggers, charms, 12 head pans, 11 hoes, three motorcycles, one generator and 29 handsets were recovered from the suspects at the site.
Other exhibits recovered from the illegal miners according to DSP Abubakar included one Toyota vehicle with registration number AQ 516 MNA, two bags of precious stone and gold particles, some gold measuring equipment, shovels and two live ammunition of LAR.
DSP Abubakar, however, appealed for the cooperation and support of residents of the state in the fight against criminality, assured that the police command and other security agencies are ready to ensure the maintenance of peace, law and order in the state.
He said that the suspects will soon been charged to court for prosecution.