Two individuals were recently taken into custody by the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for their alleged involvement in unauthorized mining activities within the state.
The arrests took place around 11 pm on Tuesday following actionable intelligence received by the authorities.
During a briefing at the headquarters on Wednesday, the State Commandant of NSCDC, Maku Olatunde, commended the Mining Marshal Squad led by Agunwa Osita for swiftly responding to the information that led to the apprehension of the suspects.
Identified as Madueke Akpuchukwu, aged 53, from Awo Omama town in Imo State, and Chimezie Ezenduka, aged 54, from Onitsha, the suspects were caught transporting suspected solid mineral (Kaolin) without the necessary permit at Igbariam.
Preliminary investigations uncovered that a 40-tonne truck, unregistered and laden with 600 bags of Kaolin disguised as cement, was seized at the scene.
The value of the confiscated mineral was estimated at over N20m, with Maku emphasizing that the material was illegally mined in a sealed area near Nando and transported without the appropriate documentation.
The proliferation of illegal mining activities has been noted to hinder the state’s revenue generation, impeding developmental projects for the people of Anambra.
NSCDC is committed to curtailing illegal mining operations in the region, ensuring strict enforcement measures against the perpetrators.
Subsequently, the suspects will face prosecution upon the completion of the ongoing investigations.
Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious mining operations and provide vital information on individuals involved in unlawful mining practices for prompt intervention.
In a remorseful statement, one of the suspects, Madueke Akpuchukwu, confessed to transporting Kaolin without the required certification for eight years.