Nigerian authorities have arrested three Chinese nationals and several Nigerian miners during a security operation targeting alleged illegal miningactivities in Nasarawa State, officials said on Sunday.
The arrests were made at Amba community in Kokona Local Government area during a raid led by Nasarawa State Deputy Governor Emmanuel Akabe, who said the operation followed reports that mining activities had continued despite a government order suspending operations at the site.
Akabe, who headed a joint security team to the mining location on Friday, said the state government had received repeated complaints that illegal mining was ongoing in defiance of official directives.
“We came to see firsthand what is happening at the site because we have received several reports that illegal mining activities have continued despite the directive stopping them,” Akabe said.
According to him, the enforcement operation targeted an unauthorised mining site where security personnel arrested three Chinese nationals and several artisanal miners suspected of engaging in unlawful extraction of mineral resources.
Authorities also recovered suspected mineral resources stored in cartons, along with equipment believed to have been used in the operation.
Among the items seized were closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and other operational materials allegedly installed to monitor activities at the mining site, Akabe said.
He reiterated that mining falls under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of Nigeria’s federal government and warned that operators must comply with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
Akabe said the state government was determined to protect the interests of host communities while ensuring law and order.
“There was no agreement with the community regarding corporate social responsibility or environmental impact assessments before mining activities commenced,” he said, adding that anyone found to have violated the law would be prosecuted.
He also said all mining activities at the site would remain suspended until pending legal disputes surrounding the area were resolved.
“The area remains closed until all litigations relating to the mining site are concluded,” Akabe said, urging residents to support efforts to maintain peace and stability in the state.
Authorities said investigations were continuing and that additional suspects could face prosecution if found culpable.
The three Chinese nationals, speaking through an interpreter, said they had been working at the site since last year.
According to the interpreter, they told investigators they were mining on behalf of their employers, who are based in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
Illegal mining has become a growing concern across several Nigerian states rich in solid minerals, with authorities warning that unlicensed operations deprive governments of revenue, fuel environmental degradation and, in some areas, contribute to insecurity.