Seven trucks loaded with precious stones suspected to be fluoride have been intercepted by the Special Taskforce Committee Members on suspension of mining activities in Taraba State.
The arrest was made possible by the state government House’s Strike Force, in Jalingo.
Confirming the arrest on Monday, the commander of the strike force, Jamu Emmanuel, said the trucks were intercepted along Anyim in the Wukari axis of Wukari local government council of the state.
The precious stones, according to him, were coming from a famous mining site in Akwana, in Wukari local government council of the state, when the taskforce intercepted them.
The task force revealed that before their arrest, the suspects had planned to prevent the government from coming to the area to stop them from perpetrating illegal mining.
It claimed that the owners of the trucks hailed from both Rivers and Enugu States, and were being aided by persons from Akwana village in Taraba State.
Meanwhile, the truck drivers were said to have taken to their heels on sighting the task force, which compelled the task force to hire drivers to move the trucks to the state capital.
Recall that Governor, Agbu Kefas, had placed a ban on all forms of mining activities in the nooks and crannies of the state and set up a mobile court to try violators of the executive order.
