‎By Teddy Nwanunobi

‎Troops of the 176 Guards Battalion arrested a suspected kingpin of an illegal mining syndicate and three other suspects during a raid on illegal mining sites in the Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

‎The arrest was stated in an operational report available on Thursday. It said the operation was carried out at about 8:30 p.m. on July 13 in the Dukpa community.

‎The arrest of a group of illegal miners in the community on July 7 led troops to identify and raid the syndicate’s operational base.

‎According to the report, the principal suspect confessed during preliminary interrogation to sponsoring the illegal mining operation.

‎It also disclosed that he recruited labourers from Katsina State to engage in illegal mining within the FCT.

‎“Items recovered during the operation include one motorcycle, two digging tools, seven filter carpets, seven pumping machine nozzles, 53 wraps of suspected cannabis, ₦360,400 cash and other mining implements.

‎“The suspects and recovered exhibits are currently in military custody pending further investigation and handover to the appropriate authorities for prosecution,” the report said.

‎The report added that the raid was part of ongoing anti-illegal-mining operations under Operation MESA, aimed at dismantling illegal-mining networks, protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources, and addressing security threats associated with illicit mining in the FCT.