The Cross River State Government has announced plans to sanction traditional rulers found supporting or shielding illegal mining activities, warning that any royal father aiding such operations will face immediate suspension and possible removal from office.
The government said that the move is part of its broader efforts to rid the state of unlawful mineral exploitation, noting that traditional rulers have a duty to protect their domains and will be held accountable for any complicity undermining environmental safety and state revenue.
The Chairman of the state’s Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force, Prince Effiong, issued the warning on Tuesday in Calabar, stressing that the administration of Governor Bassey Otu will no longer tolerate community leaders giving protection or cover to illegal miners.
“This present administration is committed to sanitising the mining sector. Any traditional leader supporting illegal mining activities in the state will be sanctioned,” He said.
Effiong noted that illegal mining had become deeply entrenched long before the current administration came on board, but maintained that recent enforcement measures were beginning to yield results.
According to him, over the past year, the task force has deported more than 2,000 illegal miners from the state, while 215 suspects are currently undergoing prosecution across various courts.
“About 215 illegal miners are currently facing prosecution in various courts within the state and over 2,000 others have been apprehended and deported to their states,” he said.
Despite threats and resistance from operators of illegal mining camps, the task force, he added, has continued to encourage host communities to participate lawfully in the sector rather than collaborate with criminal networks.
Effiong credited the task force’s progress to the unwavering backing of Governor Otu, reiterating its resolve to fully sanitize the mining sector.
The state’s clampdown has intensified in recent months. More than 40 suspected illegal miners were recently arrested in a forest in Akamkpa Local Government Area following coordinated surveillance operations aimed at dismantling illegal mining hubs.
In the last three years, more than 5,000 illegal miners, many of them heavily armed and originating from Northern Nigeria and the Sahel, have stormed Biase, Yakurr, Akamkpa and parts of the Cross River National Park in search of gold and precious stones.
