The Federal Government has shut down an illegal mining site at Guabe in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory as part of its efforts to tackle illegal mining.
The operation was carried out the Mining Marshal Corps, that was inaugurated on March 21 by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to secure the mining environment and sanitise the sector.
A statement issued in Abuja by Alake’s media aide, Segun Tomori, said three suspects were arrested during the operation led by the Corp Commander, John Attah.
He noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects lacked any documentation authorising their mining activities on the site, adding that a legitimate mining company with the necessary permits for the same location was unable to access the site due to the illegal miners’ activities and resistance.
The statement said the suspects have confessed to the offence and admitted to having been operating on the site for over a year, while about 2,000 tonnes of lithium were found on-site, underscoring the magnitude of the illegal operation.
