Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Government, has sealed an illegal mining site at Ameka community in Ezza South Local Government Area of the state.
The operation, conducted over the weekend, followed months of surveillance and intelligence gathering aimed at curbing illegal mining activities and preventing revenue loss.
Officials of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals, working with the state government, led the joint enforcement exercise.
Speaking during the operation, Chief Mine Officer, Afolabi Taofeeq, who headed the team, described the illegal activities as “economic sabotage and a denial of government revenue.”
“We are here to ensure zero tolerance for illegalities. You can have a license and still operate illegally within it. But in this case, everyone knows the activities here were unauthorized. The site falls under a licensed area, and this must be properly resolved,” he said.
It was learnt that the mining firm, Royal Salt, allegedly moved into the community without the consent of residents, sparking protests. Locals accused some community members of conniving with the company to take over the site illegally.
A community leader, Emmanuel Nkoro, called for transparency in the signing of the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
“We are not against Royal Salt. We are ready to negotiate, but they shouldn’t take our land by force. Some corrupt individuals went behind to collect money and sign agreements on our behalf without our knowledge. We demand fairness and proper inclusion,” he said.
The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Chidi Onya, assured residents that the government would ensure due process and community participation in all future mining agreements.
“A CDA is like a pregnancy; it must be properly conceived. The right process involves the state, the federal government, the company, and the host community. The community must also send credible representatives to negotiate on its behalf,” he explained.
All equipment and assets found at the site were confiscated and forfeited to the Federal Government as a deterrent to others operating without valid licenses.
Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other security agencies were deployed to enforce the shutdown and secure the area.
