By BOLA OJUOLA

Fifteen suspected illegal gold miners have been arrested in Ondo state by men of the Ondo State security network, Amotekun corps.

The suspects were picked up at the weekend and paraded for mining gold illegally from 50 different locations in Owo Local Government area of the State.

The suspects are: Shuaibu Yahaya, Habbi Usman, Kabiru Waheed, Mohammed Nurudeen, Mohammed Sulaman, Ali Mustapha, Ismaila Wahab, Musa Zeehed, Gabbar Musa, Sule Adamu ,Abba Suleman, Usman Kebiru, Yahaya Danladi and Usman Ali Zekerim

The suspects were said to have been arrested following intelligence information.

The Commander, Ondo State Amotekun Corps, Mr Adetunji Adeleye said the arrest was part of the crackdown to end criminality in the State.

According to him, the arrest took place at a Forest reserve in Owo adding that it was in the course of the exercise that they discovered the illegal mining locations.

“We noticed that they have gone far in 50 different locations where they were mining. Nobody would have believed that Ondo state has this quality of gold until we got to the locations where the gold robbers were living and performing illegal mining.

Adeleye said the suspects will be prosecuted. One of the suspects, 30-year-old Kabiru Shuaib from Kebbi State said he was invited by his friend , one Yunisa to come and join the business and he has been doing it since 2019.

Kabiru said after digging very dip they get the black gold and they separated the sand from the gold with a flat sieve with a rug.

He said the gold is a very high quality type. “We only get it out and send back home to our boss (names withheld) who sell them and later pay us.

“The gold in the land is of very high quality gold mostly we get 25 carats, 20 carats sometimes we get 15 carats gold. And we make good money.”

Also paraded were five suspected armed robbers who were said to be terrorising travellers along the Benin-Owo road. (Daily Trust)

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