Enugu govt arrests six over alleged illegal mining

The Enugu State government has arrested six persons and confiscated seven trucks in Obollo-Afor over an alleged violation of its mining ban.

The arrest of the suspects followed a visit to the mining site by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Energy and Solid Minerals, Dr. Kingsley Nnaji, and the Divisional Police Officer of Obollo-Afor, Ignatius Attah, on Thursday.

The state government on September 15 banned all mining activities in the state.

The governor’s aide said the visit followed a tip off that illegal activities were still ongoing at some of the sealed sites in the state.

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He said: “The state government is not against genuine investors, but illegal ones that have caused havoc by degrading and polluting streams from which our people fetch their drinking water.

“The people violated the court order against illegal mining in the state.

“The state government therefore gave another order to confiscate their vehicles and other equipment found at the sites.

“This was to enable them to liaise with the police and the state government to do the necessary things needed for legal mining before the property would be released.”

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