The Taraba Task force on the Enforcement of Ban on Illegal Mining and Deforestation has reported the arrest of 3,500 illegal miners in the Bali Local Government Area of the state. Retired Brig.-Gen. Jeremiah Faransa, Chairman of the task force, shared this information during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Jalingo on Monday.
According to Mr. Faransa, the apprehended illegal miners hail from Mali, Senegal, Chad, Zamfara, and other parts of the country. He emphasized that Taraba State is endowed with significant natural resources, which should be responsibly exploited for the benefit of the locals, as well as the state and the nation as a whole.
“This beautiful atmosphere, blessed by nature, is being threatened by the activities of unauthorized individuals engaged in illegal mining,” said Mr. Faransa. “These illegal miners profit billions of Naira on a daily basis at the expense of the local population. They cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem and environment, which will have far-reaching consequences for the future of the state.”
He further revealed that the Dogon Yatsu region, an impassable dense forest, has become a haven for these illegal miners, where they extract various mineral resources. Mr. Faransa emphasized that the arrested suspects have already been prosecuted by a Mobile Court and are now facing appropriate punishment.
The Chairman reiterated the special task force’s unwavering commitment to safeguard the state and its environment from encroachment by illegal miners, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice.
NAN
