Suspected illegal miners operating in Gangtu village, Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State, have again deserted their mining site before the arrival of the state’s Anti Illegal Mining Task Force, frustrating efforts to apprehend those behind the illicit activities.
The Chairman of the task force, Jamu Emmanuel Lyon, said the latest development reflects the growing pressure being mounted on illegal mining operators through sustained surveillance and enforcement operations across the state.
Lyon disclosed this after leading a team to Gangtu village following intelligence reports indicating that illegal mining had resumed in the area despite earlier warnings and previous raids.
According to him, security operatives arrived at the location only to discover that the suspects had fled into nearby bushes, allegedly after receiving advance information about the operation.
The miners reportedly abandoned equipment and makeshift structures at the site before escaping.
Although no arrests were made during the raid, Lyon described the operation as a sign that illegal miners were becoming increasingly unsettled by the task force’s activities.
He noted that it was the second time within two weeks that operatives had visited the same location only to find the suspects had escaped before their arrival.
The task force chairman, however, vowed that the repeated escape of the miners would not weaken the government’s resolve to eliminate illegal mining in Taraba State, stressing that security operations would be intensified until those responsible are brought to justice.
He said intelligence gathering was being strengthened in Gangtu and other identified mining communities, adding that additional personnel would be deployed while patrols would be intensified to prevent the return of illegal operators.
Lyon further disclosed that the task force would work closely with local vigilante groups and community leaders to establish a more effective early warning system capable of detecting and disrupting illegal mining activities.
He added that abandoned mining equipment and temporary structures found at the site were being documented ahead of their destruction to prevent further use.
He warned that anyone attempting to recover or operate the abandoned equipment would be arrested and prosecuted.
Appealing to residents of Gangtu and neighbouring communities, Lyon urged them to continue providing credible intelligence, describing public cooperation as vital to protecting the state’s mineral resources from exploitation.
He reaffirmed that the Anti Illegal Mining Task Force would sustain its operations across Taraba, warning that fleeing enforcement raids would only delay, not prevent, the arrest and prosecution of those involved in illegal mining.