Troops of the 176 Guards Battalion have arrested a suspected leader of an illegal mining network and three other individuals during a raid on illegal mining operations in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The operation was carried out on July 13 at Dukpa community following intelligence gathered by the military after the earlier arrest of a group of suspected illegal miners in the area on July 7.
According to the operational report, the intelligence helped troops identify the syndicate’s base, leading to the raid and the arrest of the suspected kingpin alongside three other suspects.
During preliminary questioning, the main suspect allegedly admitted to funding the illegal mining activities and recruiting workers from Katsina State to operate at mining sites within the FCT.
Items recovered from the operation included a motorcycle, digging equipment, seven filter carpets, seven pumping machine nozzles, 53 wraps of suspected cannabis, ₦360,400 in cash, and other mining materials.
The suspects and recovered items are currently in military custody as investigations continue, after which they will be handed over to relevant authorities for prosecution.
