Nigeria’s Nasarawa State Clampsdown on Lithium Firm for Illegal Mining
Culled from News Agency of Nigeria
The Nasarawa State Government on Sunday arrested the manager of a lithium mining company for operating illegally in Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Yakubu Kwanta, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, led a joint team of security agencies comprised of the Police, Department of Security Services (DSS), and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) on the operation.
Speaking to journalists during the operation in Amba Kure Community, Kokona, the commissioner said that the manager of the company was arrested for operating on the site despite being shut down.
Kwanta said that the site was shut down in June 2024 when it was discovered that the mining company was operating without community consent and state government approval.
Kwanta explained that Governor Abdullahi Sule had recently directed the ministry to go after illegal miners and flush out crimes and criminality within the sector.
He pointed out that some highly placed persons were colluding with some of the mining firms to undermine the effort of the state government to sanitise the sector.
He, therefore, called on miners and mining firms to register with the state government before they begin operation or would be sanctioned.