No fewer than four Chinese citizens have been arrested by the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Nasarawa State.
They were arrested at an illegal mining site where Lithium is sold at Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, according to a statement on Saturday by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi.
Afolabi said they were arrested during a sting operation.
The statement read, “Following the Commissioning of some specially trained NSCDC Personnel as Federal Government Mining Marshals; the Team has intensified efforts to clamp down on illegal miners sabotaging the economy of the nation.
“The Mining Marshall with a renewed vigour swung into action following credible intelligence and uncovered an illegal mining site where Lithium is sold at Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
“During the sting operation, the Squad arrested four (4) Chinese nationals who through preliminary investigation admitted that they were running an illegal site used for selling lithium.”
The spokesman said: “While speaking with the Mining Marshall Commander; ACC. Attah John Onoja hinted that the minerals were seized under section 146 (b) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 and that the arrest followed the suspect’s refusal to honour the command invitation for questioning.”
He added that an application would be lodged in Court for forfeiture of the impounded lithium minerals while the proceeds would be remitted to the Federal Government.
He said preliminary investigations have unearthed where the minerals were being disposed of without the required license.
He said: “The arrested suspects have confessed to the crime; admitting that they held no certificate or license to deal in the solid minerals. The suspects are running a business venture identified as HOSAN AGRO-ALLIED COMPANY LTD which was registered to deal in agricultural-related activities.
The Federal had vowed to stamp out illegal mining activities across the country and to end the menace of mineral theft plaguing the Solid Minerals sector of the nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Audi has charged the Mining Marshals to work assiduously to rid the Country of illegal miners. He added that in pursuit of this mandate, the Corps will stop at nothing to ensure that all illegal mining activities are stopped nationwide, while perpetrators would be brought to book after a thorough investigation under the full weight of the law, no matter how highly placed.
