The Federal Government has accused two companies, Solid Unit Limited
and Geotess Nigeria Limited of illegally exporting minerals worth over
N100 billion from their operations in Zurak, Wase Local Government Area
of Plateau State...
The had last month shut down the companies in a major crackdown on illegal mining activities in the country.
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi
disclosed this during a meeting with staff of the ministry in Abuja
recently.
Sixteen Chinese nationals and eight Nigerians involved in massive
illegal mining were arrested in Zurak, on August 15 at the wake of the
shutting down of the two companies on the orders of the National
Security Adviser (NSA), Major-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd), and the
Minister when the duo visited some illegal mining sites in the richly
endowed lead/zinc belt.
The Chairman of Solid Unit Limited, Alhaji Usman Abubakar (aka Dan
China) who is allegedly regarded as the most notorious illegal miner in
the state was also declared wanted by the NSA, who ordered all security
agencies to arrest him for acts seen as economic sabotage.
Fayemi, in the meeting attended by all cadre of the workers in the
ministry, said the huge scale of illegal mining by the two companies in
Wase was tantamount to economic terrorism, adding that government was
determined to confront anyone or group that are out to sabotage the
economy through illegal mining and other means.
He said the scale of illegal mining perpetrated by the two blacklisted
companies and their foreign collaborators was humongous, stressing that
they used very sophisticated equipment, including a tunnel with rail
track and other heavy machines for their illegal operations.
He said the arrested Nigerians have been in active connivance with
foreigners to carry out massive illegal mining in the state thereby
depriving the country of revenue. “Their unwholesome activities have
also led to environmental degradation and abandoned mine pits.”, he
said.
He said the leadership of the ministry carried out the operation that
led to the closure of the illegal mining companies/sites and the arrest
in a discreet manner, because of the massive network of collaborators
and informants at the disposal of the companies.
“We didn’t want to leave anything to chance, so it was done
discreetly”, he said, adding that it was a successful operation, which
according to him had also restored sanity to the area, which had been
under the siege of illegal miners and criminal elements for some years.
The arrested Nigerians and their foreign collaborators, according to
him, have been handed over to the newly inaugurated Mines Division of
the Nigerian Police for prosecution.
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