The Taraba state Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce on Thursday said it repatriated scores of illegal miners from Taraba to their home states of Sokoto, Gombe, Bauchi Niger and Zamfara states.
The chairman of the Task Force, Jamu Emmanuel, told journalists that the taskforce remains unwavering in its mandate to rid the state of all forms of illegal mining activities which have been linked to rising insecurity, environmental degradation, and economic sabotage.
“This decisive action was taken to avert any potential security breaches and safeguard the peace and stability of Taraba state,” he said.
“Allowing these illegal miners to continue with their activities within the state would bring back insecurity that will at the end be risky to the whole state.
“The government will not sit and fold its hands and allow outsiders troop in to disrupt public peace in the state.”
Emmanuel added that the Taskforce recently arrested over 50 suspects, dispersed more than 500 illegal miners in the Gantu area of Bali local government area, and specifically returned 24 individuals to Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He hinted that the team will continue to crackdown on unauthorised mining activities and not negotiate with them.
He warned that any individual or group found engaging in illegal mining would face the full wrath of the law.
The Taraba State government recently announced a crackdown on illegal mining activities in the state.
