NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ARREST 51 ILLEGAL MINERS , LOST 2 RANGERS……
By:Safiya Abdulrahim Dabban
A magistrate court in Akamkpa Town of Cross River Sate has sentenced Fourteen (14) Miners to 6 months imprisonment each for illegal mining and other related offences in Cross River National Park.
Justice Okokon Essien of Akamkpa Magistrate Court found the Fourteen Miners guilty for illegal mining and entering the Park as the offenders pleaded guilty.
The Judge said the activity of the Miners contravened the laws on illegal mining, as well as destruction of vegetation, likely to harm the fauna and flora of the Park.
He directed that the offenders be jailed at the Correctional Service Centre in Calabar for 6 months each as they failed to pay the fine option of N200,000 as provided by the Service’s law.
In a similar development, Rangers at the Old Oyo National Park arrested 37 miners while two of its officers were killed by illegal miners who initially overwhelmed the joint Patrol Team at the the Abata-Abu axis of the Park.
The late officers, Deputy Conservator of Parks, A. P. Ayemhoba and Chief Park Inspector, J. A. Adedokun, have already been buried in their separate home towns.
The 37 illegal miners, suspected to be members of armed bandits from Niger and Zamfara States were handed over to the Police who After additional investigation, charged the Miners for homicide at Family Court in Ibadan .
Meanwhile, the Conservator-General, National Park Service, Dr. Ibrahim Musa Goni who described illegal mining as a major challenge facing the Parks, also expressed the resolve of the service to protect the entirety of their Parks no matter the consequences.
He commended the park rangers for their commitment and loyalty to the Service and consoled the families of those that either died in the course of protecting the Parks and charged the officer and men not to be deterred by the challenges.
Dr Goni called on all stakeholders of the wildlife and environmental management within and beyond Nigeria to join in ridding the Parks of illegal miners and other wildlife crimes.