Pix: Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, NSCDC CG

The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has confiscated hundreds of bags of solid minerals taken out of two illegal mining sites in the state.

The confiscated minerals include 228 bags of fluorides recovered from an illegal site in Dumne, Hong Local Government Area, and 41 bags of monoxide recovered from Michika in Michika LGA.

The seizures resulted from major operations targeting suspected illegal mining activities in the state, according to the state public relations officer of the NSCDC, DSC Nyako Baba.

Speaking at a media interaction on the development, the NSCDC image maker said no arrests were made as the suspects ran off at the approach of NSCDC operatives.

He explained that in preparation for the onslaught against illegal mining, the state command of the NSCDC had trained 100 personnel as mining marshals.

“The marshals are mandated to comb the bushes and mountains to possibly arrest and prosecute perpetrators of illegal mining,” Baba explained.

It was gathered that the prompting for the move by the NSCDC against illegal mining was given by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri who had recently been stressing the need to sanitize the mining sector.

It could be noted that while fluoride being illegally mined in the state is used mainly for toothpaste manufacturing, carbon monoxide is used to produce industrial chemicals for manufacturing of a number of products.