No fewer than 500 illegal miners have been arrested in Ondo State by operatives of Special Mines Surveillance Task Force on Illegal Mining from Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. Popoola Ehinoke community is located in Ile Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State. He said that the task force, comprising officials of the ministry, Army, Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence and Police, carried out the operation based on intelligence information on activities of illegal miners. “We swung into action on receiving the tip off and we are able to arrest 500 people working without the Ministry of Mines authorisation. He explained that the task force would continue their investigations to know those behind the operation and uncover those who engaged them.

Source: The Guardian June 12, 2020 18:33 UTC