Cross River Intensifies War on Illegal Mining, 40 Suspects Nabbed in Akamkpa

The Cross River State Government has stepped up its fight against illegal mining, arresting more than 40 suspected miners during a coordinated operation in a forest within the Akamkpa Local Government Area.

The arrests were carried out by the State Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering aimed at dismantling unlawful mining sites across the state.

Chairman of the Taskforce, Prince Paul Effiong, disclosed the development to journalists on Friday in Calabar, noting that the latest operation underscores the government’s commitment to protecting the state’s mineral-rich forests from exploitation by unlicensed miners.

Effiong revealed that the latest arrests bring the total number of suspects apprehended within the past three months to 60, following earlier raids in August that led to the arrest of 20 illegal miners in Yakurr LGA and the Uyanga forest.

He further explained that in the last three years, over 5,000 illegal miners—many of them heavily armed and originating from