Three Chinese Nationals, Two Nigerians Arrested for Illegal Mining in Nasarawa Since 2021

Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development reported that three Chinese nationals and two Nigerians were arrested last week for illegal mining. The arrests occurred at a mining site in Rafin-Gabas, Agwada Area Council, Kokona LGA, Nasarawa State. Segun Tomori, the special assistant on media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to Tomori, the suspects were mining without proper authorisation and extracting minerals, including fluorite, zinc, lead, and tin. The illegal mining operations had reportedly been ongoing across five cadastral units since December 15, 2021.

The arrested suspects confessed to having been involved in illicit activities at the site spanning five cadastral units since December 15, 2021.

The company defied all lawful advice to regularise their activities and continued syphoning the nation’s resources, causing significant revenue losses to the Federal Government, he said.

He added that so far,  the ministry’s mining marshals, part of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have made over 200 arrests, with around 140 cases currently in prosecution.

Aside from illegal mining, Nigeria’s mining sector faces other serious challenges, such as inadequate regulatory enforcement and limited infrastructure. Insufficient funding and investment restrict technological advancements and efficient extraction of resources. Despite the country’s substantial mineral resources, estimated to be worth over N1.2 trillion ($750bn), the lack of investment stifles progress. Additionally, poor infrastructure, including inadequate roads and an unreliable power supply, raises operational costs and deters foreign investment. As such, the sector is faced with stunted growth.

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