The police in Edo State said that four suspected illegal miners have been arrested in Dangbala, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State and detained at the state police in Benin.
Recently, members of the community have raised alarm over the influx of illegal miners in the state, who they said might jeopardise the security situation in the area, prompting Edo government to close the site for sanity to reign. The suspects, according to investigation, were apprehended by local vigilantes operating in the community who in turn handed them to the police for prosecution.
The detained suspects were also alleged to have attack and injured one Mr. Peter Adelabu Kokumo at Oketegbe mining site where the illegal mining activities had been taking place with the support of some community elders.
Spokesman of the Community, Mr. Collins Nicholas, who addressed newsmen in Benin on the development demanded for the prosecution of those arrested in connection with illegal mining in the community. He said those behind the illegal mining in the community had also resorted to frivolous petition writing against those opposed to their criminal activities to mislead the public and called on the Police authority to unmask them.
According to Nicholas, “presently, illegal mining still strive in my community day and night. Those benefiting boasted that they are untouchable.
“Even when local security (vigilante) came, they prevented them from gaining access to the site. Secondly, they are using the name of our tradition head to write petition against those opposed to them in Dangbala.
“This is a traditional ruler that is bedridden and can’t even talk nor take decision. On November 10, 2021, we were invited to the state CID on allegation of threat to life and breach of peace but to our dismay the said petitioners couldn’t show up. We are demanding that the petitioners should be produced.
“Even when the police visited the community they discovered that our traditional head was bedridden. It was at that point they now asked us to go and settle that was when they brought hundreds of illegal miners that invaded our community.
“Those faceless petition writers are the ones destroying Dangbala because as I speak, there are guns and dangerous weapon in the community and our people are no longer safe.
“We are calling on all well-meaning Akoko-Edo people world over to speak out against this invasion and the wanton stealing of our God’s given resources. Those already arrested should be prosecuted because we want peace and development.
The Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Security Matters, Mr. Haruna Yusuf, confirmed the arrest of four miners, noting that the matter in being handled by the police command in Benin.
