Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Barrister Usman Nagogo says foreign nationals such as Chinese, Koreans and Burkinabes were working against Nigeria’s economy through illegal mining.
The commissioner said he was worried about the continuous destruction of Nigeria’s economy by foreign nationals at illegal mining sites in Zamfara State despite government’s order to them to quit the sites.
According to Nagogo, in April 2019, the Federal government ordered foreign miners to vacate mining sites in the state and its environs to curtail the activities of armed bandits in the region.
While leading a team of security operatives in a raid at the Kwali mining site in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of the state on Monday, Nagogo said the measure was in line with the Federal government’s directives.
“You all are very much aware that the federal government has given the mandate to the security agents to enforce the order,” he said.
“This action, following an intelligence report that illegal miners were still operating at the site despite several warnings by the command,’’ Nagogo said.
Barrister Nagogo further explained that two labourers, Hamisu Umar and Dahiru Mohammed were apprehended by the security operatives at the site, while others escaped into the forest.
“One of the suspects, Hamisu Umar, confirmed the presence of foreign nationals such as Chinese, Koreans and Burkinabes working in collaboration with Nigerians but they were not seen or arrested during the raid”
“The suspects are assisting the police with vital information that could lead to the arrest of their leaders, and Nigerians in the nefarious activities ’’ he said.
The commissioner, however, said some of the tools used for illegal mining were recovered from the illegal miners as exhibits against the Nigerians who he said were at large.
The commissioner further explained that a combined team of Police Mobile policemen and counter-terrorism units had been deployed to take charge of the site to restrict further illegal mining activities in the Local Government Area of the state.
He, therefore, urged the general public to obey government directives as anybody who goes against the laws of the land would be dealt with.
He appealed to them to give the security operatives in the state useful information as to how to deal with the illegal miners.
