The Federal Government has sealed an illegal mining site in Gaube, Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to prevent revenue loss in the mining sector.
The operation resulted in the arrest of three suspects who were found operating without the necessary documentation.
The Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, in a statement, revealed that the crackdown was led by Assistant Commandant John Onoja Attah of the Mining Marshals. The operation was the result of meticulous intelligence gathering and surveillance.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects lacked any official authorization for their mining activities. A legitimate mining company, holding the required permits for the same location, had been unable to access the site due to the illegal miners’ activities and resistance.
“This is a clear case of illegal miners displacing lawful miners and investors, which will not be tolerated,” said the Commander of the Mining Marshals.
The arrested suspects reportedly confessed to the offense, admitting they had been operating illegally on the site for over a year. At the time of their arrest, more than 2,000 tons of lithium were found on the ground, underscoring the scale of the illegal operations.
“Whereas we met about 2000 tons of lithium on the ground, the quantity of lithium mined since the commencement of the operation can’t be quantified as they were not being recorded due to the illegality of their mining operations,” the Commander added.
