Many of the miners are reportedly from Northern Nigeria and the Sahel region, with security agencies suspecting that some use mining as a front for banditry and other criminal enterprises. The state has also partnered with the Federal Government and security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to enforce mining regulations. Over the past three years, more than 5,000 illegal miners, many reportedly armed and originating from Northern Nigeria and the Sahel, have flooded Biase, Yakurr, Akamkpa, and parts of the Cross River National Park in search of precious stones.
Author: Punch Newspapers
Published at: 2025-12-21 23:20:14
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