Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau
The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested two Chinese nationals involved in illegal gold mining in the state.
A statement by the Command’s spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu, said the arrest of the two Chinese illegal miners, Mr Wang and Mr Chun, at Kwali village in Bukkuyum local government area on Sunday, April 26th, followed a raid by Special Task Force led by the state’s Commissioner of Police, Barrister Usman Nagogo.
The police spokesman said following credible information received by the Command a day earlier, Commissioner Nagogo on April 26th led a team to the Kwali village where the two Chinese nationals were seen with gold processing chemicals.
“The two Chinese nationals, Mr Wang and Mr Chun, are being interrogated to get more information that could help the course of the investigation,” SP Shehu said.
The police spokesman added that the Command had earlier on April 19th received information that some foreigners in concert with Nigerians were engaged in illegal mining activities in Kwali village, Bukkuyum LGA of the state.
Subsequently, on April 20th, Police Commissioner Nagogo had led a special police task force and a team of reporters to raid Kwali mining sites.
During the raid, illegal mining depots owned by the Chinese and Koreans were set ablaze and two mining labourers were arrested who confirmed that Chinese, Koreans and Burkina Fao nationals are among those involved in illegal mining in the area.