Illegal miners operating in Gangtu village, in Bali Local Government Council of Taraba State, have once again fled their mining site ahead of a raid by the Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force.

The task force, led by Chairman Jamu Emmanuel Lyon, said the repeated abandonment of mining locations by suspected illegal miners shows that sustained surveillance and operations are putting pressure on unauthorized operators across the state.

Jamu disclosed this over the weekend after he and his team returned to Gangtu village following intelligence reports that illegal mining activities had resumed in the area despite previous warnings.

According to him, operatives moved swiftly to the location but discovered that the miners had already escaped, leaving behind equipment and fleeing into nearby bushes, allegedly after receiving information about the planned operation.

Although no arrests were made during the exercise, the task force chairman described the development as a positive indication that illegal miners were becoming increasingly aware of the security pressure against their activities.

“This is the second time in two weeks that we have stormed this location, and each time, we find that the illegal miners have taken to their heels,” Jamu said.

“Though we did not make any arrests today, we are not discouraged. This cat-and-mouse game will not deter us. We are more determined than ever to rid Taraba State of the scourge of illegal mining.”

He added that the task force was strengthening intelligence gathering in Gangtu and other identified mining hotspots across the state, while plans were underway to deploy more personnel and increase patrols to prevent the return of illegal operators.

Jamu also revealed that the task force would collaborate with local vigilantes and community leaders to create a stronger early warning system capable of detecting and stopping illegal mining activities before they escalate.

Meanwhile, the abandoned mining equipment and makeshift structures discovered at the site are being documented, with plans to destroy them to prevent their reuse by illegal miners. He warned that anyone caught attempting to retrieve or operate the abandoned equipment would face arrest and prosecution.

The task force chairman urged residents of Gangtu and surrounding communities to continue providing credible information on illegal mining activities, stressing that community support was crucial to protecting the state’s natural resources.

“We cannot win this battle alone. The people of Taraba are the true custodians of our natural resources, and we need their active participation to protect these resources from being plundered,” he said.

The Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force maintained that operations would continue across Taraba State, warning illegal miners that fleeing security raids would not shield them from eventual arrest and prosecution.

The Nigerian Navy has recovered about 87,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, during an operation against crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in Rivers State.
The recovery was made in the Okarki area under Operation Delta Sentinel, following the discovery of a hidden fuel storage facility believed to have been used for the illegal stockpiling of petroleum products.

The Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh carried out the operation after acting on credible intelligence.

He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Soroh carried out an anti-crude oil theft operation in the area after receiving credible intelligence, leading to the discovery of a concealed facility used to illegally store petroleum products.

“The hidden facility contained suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and equipment used for its illegal storage and handling. During the operation, about 87,000 litres of the suspected product were recovered and processed in accordance with established operational procedures,” Folorunsho said.

The Navy noted that the discovery highlights the continued efforts of criminal groups to establish secret storage facilities in the Niger Delta to sustain the illegal petroleum products trade.

He explained that dismantling such facilities weakens the network supporting crude oil theft, illegal refining and other forms of economic sabotage.

According to him, the successful operation reflects the Navy’s determination to stop economic saboteurs from operating freely while protecting critical national assets.

Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have foiled a mass abduction by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists along the Buratai–Kamuya Road in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, rescuing 31 travellers and recovering four vehicles.

The development was contained in a post shared by security analyst and counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, via his X handle.

According to Makama, the incident occurred at about 3:45 p.m. on July 31 when troops of the 135 Special Forces Battalion stationed at Echo 1, Dutsen Kura, detected suspicious movement through a closed-circuit television, CCTV, surveillance system.

He said CCTV footage captured suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists abducting civilians travelling in four vehicles along the Buratai–Kamuya Road.

The troops immediately deployed a Quick Reaction Force, QRF, which pursued the insurgents towards the Mangari–Dora axis and engaged them in a gun battle.

The terrorists were forced to abandon the abducted victims and the four vehicles before fleeing into nearby bush paths.

The operation led to the rescue of 31 civilians, comprising 22 men, five women and four children, with no casualties recorded among the victims or troops.

Troops also recovered a motorcycle abandoned by the fleeing terrorists during the operation.

Following the rescue, troops dominated the area and carried out exploitation operations but made no further contact with the insurgents.

The rescued travellers, alongside the recovered vehicles and other personal belongings, were escorted to Buratai, where they were reunited and allowed to continue their journey.

According to the report, no casualties were recorded among the troops, while there were no confirmed terrorist casualties during the operation.