TheCable

The Borno police command says four persons have been arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal mining in the state.

In a statement on Thursday, Nahum Kenneth, Borno police spokesperson, said the suspects were apprehended with a diesel tanker truck on March 24.

The development comes barely five days after the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno said illegal mining activities were still prevalent in the state.

The NSCDC warned of environmental degradation in some of the villages in Boyi LGA where most of the illegal mining operations are carried out.

The police spokesperson said 70 bags of assorted solid minerals, suspected to be monoxide, were also recovered from the suspects.

He said the suspects were arrested by the troops of 331 Battalion, in Bayo LGA of the state, and were handed over to the police.

He said the suspects have confessed to the crime, adding that they would he charged to court after conclusion of investigation.

In October 2023, the Borno government placed a ban on all mining activities due to the “fragile security situation” of the state.

Despite the ban, illegal mining activities are rampant in Borno, one of Nigeria’s states with a surfeit of mineral resources.