Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra State have arrested two suspects for illegal mining of over N20 million-worth of Kaolin materials.
Kaolin is a type of solid mineral used in making ceramics, medicine, coated paper, as a food additive, in toothpaste, as a light diffusing material in white incandescent light bulbs, and in cosmetics.
The NSCDC spokesperson in Anambra State, Edwin Okadigbo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Mr Okadigbo, a superintendent of the corps, said the suspects were arrested at about 11 a.m. on Tuesday in response to a tip-off about their illegal mining activities.
The spokesperson gave the names of the suspects as Madueke Akpuchukwu, 53, a male indigene of Awomama town in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo State and Chimezie Ezenduka, also a male resident of Onitsha in Onitsha North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
He said the suspects were arrested at Igbariam area of Anambra State while conveying the solid minerals without relevant permit.
Mr Okadigbo said the commandant of the NSCDC in Anambra State, Maku Olatunde, paraded the suspects at the state headquarters on Tuesday.
Mr Olatunde, according to the statement, commended the NSCDC Command’s Mining Marshal Squad led by Agunwa Osita, an assistant commandant of the corps, for acting on the strength of the information to stop the illegal mining activities which he described as “economic saboteurs.”
The state commandant said preliminary investigations showed that the 40 ton truck with no registration number was loaded with 600 bags of Kaolin and covered with tarpaulin to disguise it as cement consignment.
The NSCDC boss, who pegged the value of the solid minerals at N20,204,400, said they were excavated at a sealed site around Nando, a community in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, and were being transported outside the state without waybill or licence permitting the suspects to deal in mining.
Continuing, Mr Olatunde said the activities of illegal miners have been depriving Anambra State the much-needed revenue to bring the dividends of democracy to residents of the state.
“NSCDC will continue to check the activities of those engaging in illegal mining across the state. It is not going to be business as usual.
“The corps would be unrelenting in discharging its core mandate of checkmating and flushing out illegal miners from the state,” he said.
“They should either relocate from the state or stop immediately before the long hands of the law catch up on them,” the NSCDC chief stated.
Mr Olatunde said the suspects will be arraigned in court at the end of ongoing investigations.
He urged Anambra State residents to report illegal mining activities around their neighbourhood and continue to share useful information on anyone involved in unlawful mineral related practices and environmental degradation for prompt response.
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Pleading for mercy
The police said one of the suspects, Mr Akpuchukwu, confessed to being in the business of transporting Kaolin to companies for eight years without any certification as a licensed miner.
The suspect, according to the police, pleaded for mercy in the statement.
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