100 Illegal Miners Arrested In Cross River

Around 100 illegal miners, suspected to have migrated from the Sahel Savannah region of Africa, have been arrested by the Cross River State government for allegedly invading communities in Yakurr Local Government Area.

The arrests were made during a sting operation led by the state’s Security Adviser, Major General Okoi Obono (rtd), on Saturday. The suspects, believed to be non-Nigerians, were detained after they attempted to flee from a checkpoint near Ugep community, located within Yakurr LGA. Security operatives, assisted by some locals, overpowered the miners and apprehended them.

A local resident, Ephraim Ofem, who was present during the arrest, described the suspects as young men, between the ages of 20 and 27, carrying tools like diggers, shovels, and earth-drilling machines. Ofem further claimed that the miners arrived in several empty trucks that passed through the area, coming from the northern part of the state and heading towards Calabar, the state capital.

“These people are not Nigerians, though some may have claimed to be. They are suspected to have come from Chad, Niger, and possibly Sudan. They are believed to be sponsored by faceless individuals to invade our community. They are also reportedly active in Akamkpa local government area, near the National Park, where they are armed with AK-47 rifles during mineral exploitation,” Ofem said.

Efforts to reach Major General Okoi Obono for a comment on the situation were unsuccessful as his phone line was not reachable at the time of reporting.

In response to the arrests, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Cross River State, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the development, stating, “Yes, it’s true that the illegal miners had been arrested by the Cross River State government. They are going to be profiled, and those without proper documentation will be repatriated back to wherever they are coming from.”