TheCable

The police command in Taraba state says at least one person has died and six others injured during a clash between illegal miners and policemen in Mayo-Sina, near Nguroje, Sardauna local government area of Taraba.

David Misal, the command’s spokesman, told NAN on Friday that one policeman also got missing as a result of the clash that occurred on Thursday.

He said on Monday, the police directed the illegal miners to vacate the site within 48 hours but they refused to comply.

According to him, when a unit of police mobile force arrived the site on Thursday to enforce the directive, they were attacked by the miners.

“This action cost the life of one person while several others got injured and are receiving treatment at Gembu General Hospital and other hospitals in the area,” he said.

The illegal miners from the Mayo-Sina mining site had in the past resisted several efforts to disperse them.

Misal explained that the site had also been suspected to be a breeding ground for criminals.

He said investigations also revealed that the illegal miners came from states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno.

Some others came from Mali, Cameroun, Niger republic, Chad and Central African Republic, with bulk of unskilled workers coming from Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba.

Commenting on the development, Godwin Sol, acting chairman of Sardauna local government, said the joint task force from the ministry of mines had asked the illegal miners to vacate the site but refused.

Sol dispelled rumours that it was a clash between farmers and herdsmen, pointing out that it was purely an illegal mining issue.

He, however, said the entire local government was now peaceful, and the Mayo-Sina mining site was also calm as the illegal miners had been moved from the area.