Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Cross River State Command has arrested two men for allegedly leading an armed syndicate that terrorizes licensed miners in Yakurr Local Council Area and illegally carting away solid minerals.
The State Commandant, CC Okarazu Chima, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press Two armed suspects arrested for terrorising Cross River miners briefing at the Command Headquarters in Calabar while parading the suspects.
According to the Commandant, operatives of the Corps stormed a mining site in Agoi Ibami, Yakurr LCA on August 19, 2026 following credible intelligence from members of the public.
During the raid, the operatives apprehended Mr. Stephen Ibiang Francis, 34, and Mr. Gideon Emmanuel Okoi, 24, both natives of Nkpani village in Yakurr. The suspects were found in possession of two locally fabricated firearms and materials suspected to be charms.
Okarazu said investigations revealed that the suspects were not just illegal miners but armed enforcers who had turned the mining site into a theatre of violence.
“They operate as armed enforcers,” the Commandant stated. “Their modus operandi involves heavily arming themselves with locally fabricated firearms and charms, and storm the mining sites at Agoi Ibami. They use these weapons to systematically terrorize, intimidate, and violently chase away licensed, legitimate miners from the site. Once the legal operators flee out of fear for their lives, these armed suspects and their cohorts take over the site to illegally mine and cart away precious solid minerals.”
He described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the Command’s “aggressive and ongoing kinetic operations against economic saboteurs” plundering the state’s solid mineral resources.
The NSCDC boss issued a stern warning to other illegal miners and armed syndicates operating in the forests of Cross River.
“Let this arrest serve as a definitive, uncompromising warning to all illegal miners and armed syndicates lurking in the forests of Cross River State. The era of intimidating legitimate investors and plundering our commonwealth is over,” he said.
“Solid minerals constitute Critical National Assets. To those who think they can bear unlicensed arms to enforce illegal mining operations: we have the superior firepower, we have the intelligence network, and under the visionary leadership of the Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, we will hunt you down.”
Okarazu assured that legitimate and licensed miners would be given necessary security cover to operate peacefully and contribute to the state’s economic development.
He said the two suspects are currently in custody and have made useful statements. The Command, he added, is expanding investigations to track down the manufacturers of the firearms and other fleeing members of the syndicate.
“Once investigations are concluded, they will be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction for illegal possession of firearms, armed intimidation, and illegal mining,” he said.
The Commandant also commended members of the public whose tip-off led to the arrest, urging citizens to continue to volunteer information.
“When you ‘See Something and Say Something,’ you empower us to protect your communities,” he said.
The arrest comes amid growing concerns over illegal mining and the use of arms by criminal gangs to take over mining sites across the country.
