The Security Task Force and officers of the Nigerian Army have arrested 26 illegal miners in Laje, Ondo town, during a joint operation.
The security task force had last month arrested 12 illegal miners in various parts of the state.
Addressing newsmen during the handing over of the suspects at the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment of the Army, the State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Rasaq Obe, noted that the arrest of the illegal miners is to prevent future disasters.
According to him, the illegal miners would become the terrorists, kidnappers, killers, in the bushes.
He added that the men of the Nigerian Army are stepping in proactively in the bushes, weeding the illegal miners out.
He noted that, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is more than pleased that the arrest took place, stressing the Governor would leave no stone unturned in eradicating illegal mining in the State.
Mr. Obe, who warned other illegal miners that they would all be arrested soon, praised Army officers for their action and expressed confidence that there would be no more illegal miners in Ondo State.
The Commissioner praised the security task force’s coordinator, Mr. Gbenga Atiba, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, and his staff for their efforts in apprehending the illegal miners.
He also appreciated other security agencies and relevant stakeholders for their efforts in ensuring that illegal miners have no place in the State, urging the people of the State to report any traces of illegal miners around them for proper intervention.
One of the arrested miners, 20-year-old Suleiman Hassan of Zamfara State, revealed that this was his first time illegally mining gold in Ondo State.
He stated that he was recruited into the business by Alhaji Abdullahi and Alhaji Sule, both of whom are on the run.
