The Cross River State Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce has arrested another 40 suspected illegal miners during a recent operation in forest areas of Akamkpa Local Government Area.
Taskforce Chairman, Prince Paul Effiong, confirmed the arrests, saying the intensified surveillance aims to rid the state’s forests of unlawful mining. He disclosed that similar crackdowns in August led to the arrest of 20 others in Yakurr and Uyanga, bringing the total number of suspects apprehended in three months to 60.
Effiong noted that over the past three years, more than 5,000 illegal miners have invaded Biase, Yakurr, and Akamkpa LGAs, including parts of the Cross River National Park, to extract gold and other minerals. He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to halt the illegal operations, insisting that “the government will not tolerate illegal mining” and urging all operators to regularize their activities.
He added that several sites had been shut down and equipment seized, stressing that the taskforce would sustain its operations until the menace is completely curbed.
