November 01, (THEWILL) — The Ebonyi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has issued a stern warning to illegal artisanal miners to immediately cease operations or face prosecution.
Speaking at the Command headquarters in Abakaliki during the ceremony marking his one year in office, the State Commandant, Francis Chika Nnadi, expressed concern over the rising activities of illegal miners in the state.
Nnadi said the command had intensified operations against those engaging in unlicensed mining, vandalism, and cultism, adding that over 17 persons had already been convicted for various offences.
“As long as you’re acting illegally, we will shut you down. Those who refuse to comply will be prosecuted immediately. We currently have several cases in court,” he said.
He revealed that the NSCDC was working closely with the Federal Mines Office and the Ministry of Solid Minerals to ensure proper regulation and coordination of mining activities in the state.
“For those operating illegally, if we haven’t caught you yet, it’s only a matter of time. Shut down now if you don’t have a valid licence. Once we get to you, there will be no room for excuses — we will prosecute,” he warned.
Nnadi noted that the NSCDC had recorded over 30 pending cases in court and secured about 14 convictions for crimes such as vandalism and cultism.
“The arrests are numerous. But despite these challenges, Ebonyi remains one of the safest states in the South-East. That’s because the security agencies here work closely together and share intelligence,” he said.
Highlighting his achievements since assuming office in October 2023, the Commandant said his leadership had improved the command’s infrastructure and operational efficiency through the installation of solar-powered security systems, a new conference hall, and a solar water system.
“With the kind of asymmetric warfare we are facing now, we’ve had to upgrade our skills to prevent non-state actors from taking over the state. Our collaboration with other security agencies has helped us nip many crimes in the bud,” Nnadi added.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
