By Apex Media Network
The Taraba State Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force has intensified its crackdown on illegal mining activities with a fresh raid on Gangtu village in Bali Local Government Area, dismantling camps allegedly used by illegal miners.
The operation, carried out in the early hours of Thursday, was led by the Chairman of the Task Force, SP Jamu Emmanuel Lyon, alongside a joint security team comprising personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local hunters.
During the operation, suspected illegal miners fled the area on sighting the security team, while makeshift tents and other temporary structures believed to have been used for illegal mining operations were demolished.
Authorities said security operatives have now been stationed permanently in the area to prevent the miners from returning and to enforce the state government's ban on illegal mining activities.
According to the task force, the latest operation followed credible intelligence gathered through sustained surveillance, which revealed that illegal mining had resumed in Gangtu despite previous government closure directives and two earlier enforcement exercises conducted at the site.
Speaking during the operation, the Chairman of the Task Force, SP Jamu Emmanuel Lyon, reaffirmed the state's resolve to eliminate illegal mining, describing the activity as a major threat to the environment, agriculture, and public resources.
He said illegal mining continues to contaminate water sources, destroy farmlands, and deprive the state of valuable mineral resources, stressing that the government will not relent until those responsible are stopped.
The task force also disclosed that security personnel deployed to the area will maintain 24-hour surveillance and regular patrols to prevent any attempt by illegal miners to resume operations.
Residents were urged to support the government's efforts by providing timely and credible information on suspicious mining activities in their communities, noting that public cooperation remains essential to the success of the ongoing campaign against illegal mining across Taraba State.
