The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested five persons for alleged illegal mining in Oyo State.
The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Augustine Padonu, disclosed this when he paraded the suspects on Wednesday in Ibadan.
He said the agency operatives intercepted the suspects with two trucks loaded with solid minerals suspected to be lithium powder weighing about 60 tonnes.
Padonu said investigations revealed that the products were loaded from Ilenla in Kishi town, Oyo State and were to be sold at Ogere in Ogun State.
READ ALSO: NSCDC arrests 15 suspected illegal miners in Plateau
The commandant alleged that the suspects had been operating from illegal mining sites without operatiing licence, royalties and other documents.
He said: “On Friday, at about 2100 hours, our vigilant monitoring team intercepted two DAF trucks with registration numbers BDJ 64 XE and ARP 201 XB at the Ibadan Toll Gate of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“The trucks were loaded with solid minerals suspected to be lithium powder weighing about 60 tonnes.
The NSCDC official said the suspects would be arraigned in court at the end of investigations.
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