Six trucks carrying illegally mined Fluoride and Lithium has been intercepted by Taraba State Government in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
The illegally mined solid minerals were explored from Akwana community in the Wukari Local Government Area of the state and were being taken to Port Harcourt and Enugu when the trucks carrying them were intercepted.
Drivers of the trucks were said to have abandoned the trucks and taken to their heels when intercepted. The trucks have been handed over to the mobile court set up to try defaulters.
Chairman of Taraba Task Force Committee on Illegal Mining and Deforestation, Jeremiah Faransa, who briefed newsmen after the trucks were intercepted, said the government won’t relent despite the ban on illegal mining and deforestation.
Faransa also revealed that the Task Force team were in same Akwana community where they arrested seven illegal miners with some in possession of explosives.
He said; “Security is a collective responsibility and this (interception) was as a result of collaboration between the special taskforce team and the military strike force.
”Whoever is involved in this dastard act will be dealt with severely and we will be handing over these trucks to the mobile court for prosecution.
”Akwana is notorious for illegal mining and their is no amount of efforts we have not put to adhere to the ban directive but they are defiant, however we will change our strategy to ensure sanity.”
