By Ijeoma Agbafo
The Taraba State Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce has arrested two suspected illegal miners during a raid on a gold mining site at Mayo Kam in Gantu Village, Bali Local Government Area of the state.
The Chairman of the taskforce, Mr Emmanuel Jamu, said on Monday that the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering. He explained that security operatives navigated difficult terrain to reach the remote mining site, but most of the suspects fled into nearby forests before their arrival.
Jamu said the two suspects were arrested while attempting to escape, while several items allegedly used for illegal mining, including pumping machines, generators, digging equipment and mineral processing materials, were recovered during the operation.
He warned that the taskforce would sustain its crackdown on illegal mining, urging traditional rulers and community leaders to provide credible information that would lead to the arrest of other suspects still at large.
He added that the arrested suspects were in custody and that operations would continue in other identified high-risk areas.
