In the state capital of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, NSCDC, displayed 35 individuals engaged in various offences, including illegal mining and defiling of children, on Friday.
The arrest of the suspected illegal miners, according to State Corps Commandant Basil Igwebueze, was made possible by reliable intelligence and the coordinated efforts of the patrol team from the NSCDC Sold Minerals Unit, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, and the Ministerial Task Force on Illegal Mining.
He said that the NSCDC team quickly sprang into action to capture the culprits while they were committing the crime.
The 34 suspects were apprehended while illegally dredging sharp sands, which resulted in environmental degradation in the area, thanks to the combined efforts of our men, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, and Ministerial Task force on Illegal Mining, which includes: EFCC, NSCDC, DSS, Nigeria Police, Immigration Service, and Nigerian. Three dredging machines were also found at the crime scene.
Additionally, a Chinese guy was seen near the crime scene, and information on him indicated that he is well-known for engaging in illicit mining activities. But he managed to get away from the scene at Choba, Obio/Akpo Local Government Area, by using the rear gate of a neighbouring hotel. While looking for the culprit, one of our staff members overheard a young woman screaming that her 15-year-old sister had been lured into a hotel room.
“Following a thorough search, our men were able to free the 15-year-old girl from Daniel Mathew’s grasp. Daniel Mathew is now in custody and is being questioned,” said the statement.
According to him, in-depth investigations would be conducted to determine the degree of each suspect’s involvement in the crimes alleged, and then zealous prosecution would be carried out in the Court of Competent Jurisdiction.
In addition, he urged the people to notify the NSCDC and other security authorities of any illegal activity that occurred on their property, saying, “If you see something, please say something.”
