Police in Kwara State have arrested eight persons over alleged involvement in illegal mining in Patigi local government area of the state.
They also recovered three trailers load of marble stones from the suspected illegal miners.
The suspects were arrested following a sting operation by the policemen, after the people of Patigi and Association of Licensed Miners in Kwara State lodged complaints about the activities of illegal miners in the community.
The spokesman of the state police command, Okasanmi Ajayi, confirmed the arrest and recovery of the trailers in a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday.
Ajayi said:” Acting on a petition and a letter written to the commissioner of police, Kwara State, CP Paul Odama by the residents and natives of Patigi in Patigi local government area of Kwara State and the Association of Licenced Miners of Kwara State to the effect that illegal miners have turned their ancestral lands to a beehive of illegal mining of the mineral resources thereby causing ecological problem and sabotage to the economy of both the state and the federal government, the police swung into action.
“Based on this petition, a team of Kwara State Police Command’s operatives were dispatched to the area to arrest and if possible recover and impound any illegally mined minerals in the said area.
“The police team swung into action and on 30/10/2022 at about 0200hrs the suspects named hereunder were arrested with three trailer loads of suspected marbles illegally mined. The suspects are Abdulbagi Sadiq ‘m’ aged 28yrs with a trailer with registration number SGM 222 ZR, Isah Amisu ‘m’ aged 28yrs with a trailer with registration number GBE 347ZE, Mohammed Zanihat Idris aged 27yrs ‘m’ with a trailer with registration number BWR 151 YL, Alhassan Rabiu ‘m’, Mohammed Abdulbagi ‘m’, Ibrahim Sule Balarabe ‘m’ Mohammed Dalhatu Idris and Abubakar Tasiu. The suspects were arrested along Share, Tsaragi and Patigi areas of the state.
“Exhibits have been recovered to the police headquarters, while the suspects after interrogation and confessions have been charged to court.
“The command is stating with all sense of responsibility that economic sabotage and any acts inimical to the health and security of lives and property of the citizens and people of the state would be resisted.
“The CP is therefore advising the good people of kwara state to join hands with the police to rid the state of all forms of criminality.”