Crime
Police arrest, prosecute 18 illegal miners in Zamfara
The Anti Illegal Mining Squad of the Police in Zamfara has arrested and prosecuted 18 people who engaged in illegal mining in spite of presidential order banning the activity.
SP Shehu Mohammed, Police Public Relations Officer of the command, said this in a statement on Friday in Gusau.
Mohammed said the Anti-Illegal mining team led by SP Murtala Bello, was assigned by the force headquarters Abuja to enforce the presidential order banning illegal mining in the state.
“The recent operations conducted by the Anti-Illegal mining team was at Yan Kaura mining site in Maru local government area where villagers from different parts of the state converged and embarked on illegal mining.
“The assigned squad mobilised and successfully dislodged the violators where 18 suspects were arrested.
“Discreet investigation was conducted after which all the suspects were charged to court and they are now in prison custody,” Mohammed said.
According to him, numerous exhibits were recovered, which includes; 504 bags of different chemicals used in refining gold, one Lexus Jeep, one Meter Director, one Professional Digital Table Top Scale and 14 bags of processing sand suspected to be gold.
He said the squad, which commenced operations since September 2020, had raided several illegal mining sites at different locations in the state and succeeded in arresting many notorious illegal miners.
He further said the sites raided to included major illegal mining sites at Kwali, Bukkuyum local government area, Daki Takwas, Gummi local government area as well as Zugu and Wawan Icce in Anka local government area of Zamfara.
He appealed to members of the public to alert the nearest security outfit on any illegal mining activity in their area, adding that the squad would continue to arrest illegal miners in all parts of the state.
The 32-year-old Nigerian male, named Aina Ibrahim Seun, wanted for the offence of indecent practices between males, contrary to sections 214(3) and 217 Of the Criminal Code Act.
Aina who lived at 15, Morofunola Street, Agege, Otubo Bus Stop, Lagos State, was declared wanted for engaging in bisexual activities with his accomplice, Efe Okoro, a 30-year-old from Isolo Quarters, Lagos State.
This followed an investigation after Efe Okoro was caught at a Homosexual (gay) Wedding in Delta State and it has been confirmed that the police has found evidence that he has been involved in gay activities which is a Known crime in Nigeria.
The incident was reported to the Nigeria Police Divisional Headquarters in the community. Upon interrogation, Efe, who is Aina’s gay partner, confessed to the act after the police found him with sex photos of himself and Aina Ibrahim Seun in September 2023. Aina, who is currently at large, has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police.
The Nigeria Police, therefore, urges the community youths and anyone who knows the whereabouts of Aina Ibrahim Seun to report to the nearest Police Station for arrest and prosecution.
Recall that gay activities in Nigeria are highly prohibited and attract penalties, including not less than 14 years jail term.
By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
Kaduna state Police Command, has confirmed the abduction of two Kaduna based Journalists, Alhaji AbdulGafar Alabelewe and Abdulraheem Aodu of The Nations and Blue print newspapers respectively.
The bandits in their large numbers, late Saturday night, stormed Danhonu community in the Millennium City of Chikun local government area of Kaduna State and abducted the journalists alongside their wives and children.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Kaduna State Command ASP Mansur Hassan said that his men are still in the bush, adding that all efforts are in place to rescue the victims unhurt.
Alhaji Alabelewe is the current chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council.
A family member of one of the victims, Taofeeq Olayemi, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits stormed the community at about 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically before carrying out kidnap.
He said they kidnapped Alhaji Alabelewe, his wife and two of his children, while Alhaji Aodu and his wife were kidnapped, leaving behind their sick daughter.
“Initially, they picked Alhaji Abdulgafar, his wife and three of his children and a girl staying with them before asking the girl to return back with one of the children, leaving with Abdulgafar, his wife and two children.
“They shattered their doors, windows and removed their burglary after scaling the fence,” he narrated.
Olayemi, who is a family member of Mr Aodu and lives close to the victims’ houses, further said: “they came around 10:30pm on Saturday night and started shooting sporadically. They first forced Aodu’s door open and picked him and his wife and left their sick daughter behind.
“Then, they entered Abdulgafar’s house through the fence and jumped into his house. They went straight into his bedroom and picked him, his wife and two of their kids and left immediately, after which the vigilantes arrived and started shooting into the air.”
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