BY CHUWANG DUNGS
Taraba state Special Task force on Illegal Mining and Deforestation, last Saturday burnt down mining equipments allegedly belonging to the state government.
The equipments worth millions of naira were destroyed at a mining site in Akwana, Wukari local government area of the state.
The destroyed equipment includes 2 excavators, drilling machines, sound proof generators, pumping machines, dictating machines, motorcycles and other mining equipments.
The task force Chairman Jeremiah Faransa, a retired Brigadier general
was present during the burning exercise.
Faransa was accompanied to the destruction exercise by a team of military officers.
DAYLIGHTREPORTERS reliably gathered that the equipments were purchased by the state government through the office of the Bureau for Solid Mineral Development to boost mining activities in the state.
However the task force officials claimed that they were not aware that the government purchased such equipment and they were out that day for their normal routine operations.
“It was after the operation that we started hearing stories that those equipment belong to the government, and the task was not aware. That’s not the first time we are burning equipment at mining sites.
“The fault is from the Bureau for Solid Mineral Development, I learned they were asked to take the equipment to Wukari local government Secretariat but they moved them to the mining site without briefing the task force Chairman.” Ibrahim Zuppai, the spokesperson of the task force told our reporter.
He said the task force assumed that the equipment belongs to illegal miners, that normally run on siting them during operations
“In most cases these illegal miners run on siting us during operations, so in order to stop them from returning to the sites we set their equipments ablaze.” Mr Zuppai explained.
Last Saturday’s exercise was not the first destruction exercise carried out by the task force which was inaugurated in June last year.
When contacted the Permanent Secretary, Bureau for Solid Mineral Resources, Matsai David, said he is not going to speak on the matter until when the governor is back to Jalingo.
“I am not answerable to Faransa, when the governor comes back you will hear the truth about this matter.” Mr David said.
As of the time of filing this report, the government was yet to officially speak on the matter.
The Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas, few weeks after assuming office he, signed an executive order prohibiting illegal mining activities in the state.
Mr Kefas, who signed the order during a meeting with traditional rulers at the state government house in Jalingo, said the order would address insecurity in the state.
He said his government would strengthen its regulatory framework and collaborate with all relevant agencies to fight the state’s illegal mining activities.
“It is imperative that we put an end to these illegal activities by strengthening our regulatory framework, improving enforcement mechanisms and enhancing collaboration among relevant sectors, and by ensuring responsible mining practices in curbing illegal operations, we can harness the wealth beneath our soil while safeguarding our environment for the future generation,” he said.
