Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have carried out raids in two separate operations targeting economic sabotage, dismantling an illegal gold mining site and destroying a large wooden boat used for siphoning crude oil.
The first operation occurred in the Ogunlepa, Oluwa Forest Reserve, within the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, where Mining Marshals apprehended four individuals involved in illegal gold mining.
The suspects, caught in the act within the Government Reserved Area, admitted to operating without the required licenses or authorisation. They were subsequently charged at the Federal High Court in Abuja, facing serious legal consequences under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NNMA).
The Mining Marshal Commander, ACC AJ Onoja, who led the raid, issued a harsh warning to those still engaged in illicit mining activities. He asked them to regulate their operations in compliance with the NNMA, emphasising that the Federal Government’s determination to execute the law remains unshakeable.
“The big stick will be wielded without hesitation against anyone who flouts the law,” Onoja stated, emphasising the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s mineral riches for legitimate use.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation, the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS) discovered and destroyed a big hidden wooden boat used by criminals to transport stolen crude oil near the Owaza coastline in Rivers State.
The boat, which could transport over 200,000 litres of syphoned crude oil, was a valuable asset for criminal networks involved in the illegal trafficking of the country’s oil reserves.
The demolition of the boat is a big blow to oil thieves who have long exploited Nigeria’s vast crude reserves, costing the government billions in revenue.
According to the authorities, the CG SIS’s prompt action demonstrates the government’s increased vigilance and continued efforts to preserve the country’s essential infrastructure and natural resources from illicit exploitation.
