8 Chinese And 12 Others Arrested For Illegal Mining Plateau State

Mine workers

Eight Chinese miners have been arrested for illegal mining activities in Plateau State.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, ac­cused security operatives of aiding and abetting il­legal mining activities in the state.

Addressing security operatives in Kampani Zurak village on Tuesday when 20 illegal miners, including eight Chinese citizens, were paraded on the order of the Na­tional Security Adviser, Ali Monguno, the minis­ter said that they were to be blamed because they helped shield the illegal miners who he described as economic saboteurs.

“It is sad that secu­rity operatives are giving them (illegal miners) se­curity cover. If not, why do people guard this site? These miners are illegal. The government did not give them permission to do this, they are econom­ic saboteurs.

“This cannot hap­pen anywhere else in the world and we will not al­low it anywhere in Nige­ria.

“The government would sanction any tradi­tional ruler found to have connived with the miners to exploit the community. “We do not want these miners,” Fayemi said.