The commissioner for solid and natural resources in Kogi State, Bashiru Gegu, recently disclosed the activities of illegal miners in the state and the efforts of the special task force created to curb the menace to the press.
Gegu informed members of the Press that Governor Yaya Bello banned illegal mining in the state, and the task force created to ensure the governor’s directive swept into action, intercepting 50 trucks of coal and arresting 10 persons connected to the incident.
Mr Gegu assured the public that the Kogi state government was working with the security operatives and local vigilantes to stop illegal mining that robs the state’s citizens while enriching a few individuals. He also promised that anyone caught in the act or implicated in any way will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted accordingly.
He also used the medium to encourage all miners within the state to approach the relevant authorities and obtain all necessary documentation and licenses to enable them to operate within the confines of the law.