THE STATE COMMANDANT OF THE NIGERIA SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS, EDO STATE COMMAND AGUN GBENGA HAS EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR A COORDINATED SECURITY NETWORK TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF ILLEGAL MINING IN EDO.

COMMANDANT STATED THIS DURING HIS OFFICIAL WORKING VISIT TO THE COMMANDANT, NIGERIAN ARMY SCHOOL OF ELETRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING MAJ GEN O. O AROGUNDADE IN HIS OFFICE IN AUCHI.

COMMANDANT AGUN HIGHLIGHTED THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PARTNERING WITH THE ARMY TO CURB ILLEGAL MINING ACTIVITIES.

HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING A STRONG SYNERGY BETWEEN THE NSCDC AND THE ARMY, RECOGNIZING THAT SUCH COLLABORATION WOULD GREATLY ACCELERATE THE FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL MINING IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE OUR MINING MARSHALS AND WE ARE READY TO FLUSH OUT ILLEGAL MINERS FROM THE STATE.

NSCDC BOSS INTIMATED THE ARMY COMMANDANT AND HIS TEAM ON THE CORPS CORE MANDATES, AND THANKED HIM FOR THE WARM RECEPTION, ACCORDED TO HIM AND HIS TEAM .

IN RESPONSE, THE COMMANDANT, MAJ GEN AROGUNDADE O. O, WELCOMED COMMANDANT AND LAUDED THE DETERMINATION OF THE CORPS IN TACKLING CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES IN THE STATE.

“THE ISSUE OF ILLEGAL MINING IN THE STATE IS A BIG ISSUE, PEOPLE DONT HAVE LICENCE YET THEY OPERATE, WE MUST JOIN HANDS TOGETHER AND FLUSH THEM OUT,” SAID THE GENERAL.

GEN, AROGUNDADE EXPRESSED HIS WILLINGNESS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE CORPS IN THEIR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, EMPHASIZING THAT HIS DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN TO COLLABORATION.

THE VISIT HAD IN ATTENDANCE TOP MANAGEMENT STAFF OF BOTH AGENCIES INCLUDING THE SOUTH SOUTH ZONAL MINING OFFICER FROM FEDERAL MINISTRY OF MINES AND STEEL, ENG AJIBADE GANIWU.

IN A RELATED DEVELOPEMENT, COMMANDANT AGUN GBENGA MADE A BRIEF STOP AT THE PALACE OF THE OKUGBE OF FUGAR CLAN.

“IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU AND ALSO FAMLIARISE MY SELF WITH THIS AREA, HERE AT FUGAR LOTS OF ILLEGAL MINING ACTIVITIES ARE GOING ON, AND THE NSCDC WILL NOT FOLD ITS ARMS AND WATCH ILLEGAL MINERS HAVE A FREE DAY. IT IS OUR DUTY TO FLUSH THEM OUT AND WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT.

“WE HAVE OUR MINING MASHALS AND THEY ARE ALL OVER THE STATE, ANY ILLEGAL MINING SITE WE COME ACROSS WILL BE SHUTDOWN AND THOSE OPERATING IT WILL BE PERSECUTED, WE WORK IN SYNERGY WITH THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF MINES AND STEEL,” THE NSCDC COMMANDANT SAID.

AGUN SOUGHT FOR THE COLLABORATION OF THE TRADITIONAL RULER IN GETTING THE AREA RID OF ILLEGAL MINING ACTIVITIES.

RESPONDING, THE HRH ENG EMMA OGA, WELCOMED THE COMMANDANT AND HIS ENTOURAGE TO HIS PALACE.

“I MUST SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU ARE DOING AND I PRAY THE GOOD LORD PROTECT YOU AND YOUR MEN,” SAID THE CLAN HEAD.

HE SAID THERE WAS AN ASPECT THAT BOTHER HIM AND HIS PEOPLE, WHICH INCLUDED THE ISSUE OF HERDSMEN ATTACKS ON FARMERS, KILLING FARMING ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA.

“PLEASE USE YOUR GOOD OFFICE TO ASSIST FUGAR COMMUNITY, WE CAN’T GO TO OUR FARMS AGAIN,” SAID THE CLAN HEAD.

COMMANDANT ASSURED THE CLAN HEAD THAT HE WOULD DO EVERY THING POSSIBLE TO BRING PEACE AND STABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

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CDPRO NSCDC EDO STATE COMMAND.