The Taraba State Government, in partnership with the Nigerian Army, apprehended six trucks containing illegally mined fluoride and lithium.
The illegally mined solid minerals were discovered in the Akwana hamlet of the state’s Wukari Local Government Area and were being transported to Port Harcourt and Enugu when the vehicles transporting them were intercepted.
When the trucks were intercepted, the drivers were claimed to have abandoned them and taken to their heels. The trucks have been turned over to the mobile court, which has been set up to try defaulters.
Jeremiah Faransa, chairman of the Taraba Task Force Committee on Illegal Mining and Deforestation, told reporters after the trucks were intercepted that the government will not back down despite the prohibition on illegal mining and deforestation.
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Faransa further revealed that the Task Force team had captured seven illegal miners, some of whom were in possession of explosives, in the same Akwana hamlet.
He said; “Security is a collective responsibility and this (interception) was as a result of collaboration between the special task force team and the military strike force.
”Whoever is involved in this dastard act will be dealt with severely and we will be handing over these trucks to the mobile court for prosecution.
”Akwana is notorious for illegal mining and there is no amount of effort we have not put to adhere to the ban directive but they are defiant, however, we will change our strategy to ensure sanity.”