THERE was tension in Dagbala, Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo State as one person identified as Peter Adelabu sustained head injuries when they were attacked by suspected illegal gold miners operating in the sites in contravention of the closure of the place to mining activities a few months ago. Dagbala has many deposits of gold and other solid minerals.
Vanguard gathered that some local vigilantes also yesterday prevented the Edo State Vigilante Network from Igarra, headquarters of the local government from accessing the mining sites.
Narrating the incident to journalists in Benin City yesterday, Adelabu explained how he escaped being killed by illegal gold miners at the mining site at Oketegbe in Dagbala.
Adelabu said he and others were attacked when leaders of the community asked them to find out if there was any mining activity taking place at the site.
He said, “My kindred asked us to go to Oketegbe to find out if there is any mining activity taking place there.
“On getting there, we saw many people mining gold where the state government had shut down and the moment they sighted us, they attacked us with dangerous weapons. We just managed to escape. Most of the illegal miners are armed with guns and cutlasses.
Another victim, Kokumo Godwin said “The illegal miners are back to where governor Obaseki had shut down. Most of them are Hausa’s, we were shocked to see them mining. We have reported the matter to the Ososo Police station while the injured person is receiving treatment at Dagbala hospital.”
He alleged that four of the illegal miners who were arrested and taken to Police Area Command at Igarra were released instead of being charged to court.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bello Kontongs said he read about the incidents surrounding illegal mining in the media and he awaits formal report from the Area Command at Igarra.
It would be recalled that the community a few days ago raised the alarm of the return of illegal miners and alleged that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was providing security cover for them, an allegation the organization has since denied through its spokesman Efosa Ugbebor.
SOURCE: VANGUARD NEWS NIGERIA
