By ABIGAEL JOSHUA

The National Park Service (NPS) lost two of its staff during a joint patrol operation to curb illegal mining activity at Abata-Abu axis of the Old Oyo National Park on July 24.

This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Yakubu Zull, the Conservator of Parks and the Special Assistant on Media, to the Conservator-General (CG) of NPS.

“The late officers, Deputy Conservator of Parks, Peter Amhagbor and Chief Park Inspector, Adedokun Adeola were killed by the illegal miners who initially overwhelmed the patrol team of the late officers and resisted arrest.

“However, the miners were eventually overpowered when the patrol team received reinforcement from the nearest patrol station of the park and arrested 37 of the miners.

“The 37 illegal miners arrested who were suspected to be members of armed bandits from Niger and Zamfara had since been handed over to the Police in Ibadan by the Park Authority,” Zull said.

He said that after additional investigation, the Police charged the miners for homicide at a Family Court in Ibadan.

“The late officers were buried according to Christian rites in their home towns on separate dates of July, 27, 2023 and Aug. 3, 2023 while the Judge has adjourned the case till Dec. 14, 2023.

“The miners were thereafter taken to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Ibadan,” Zull added.

In a related development, the statement announced that a Magistrate court in Akamkpa town of Cross River has sentenced 14 miners to six months imprisonment for illegal mining and other related offences inside the Cross River National Park on July 19.

Zull explained that Judge Okokon Essien of Akmkpa Magistrate Court found the 14 miners guilty for illegal mining and entering the park as charged by the park and the miners pleaded guilty.

He said that the judge while pronouncing the judgment said the activity of the miners in the park contravened the service’s laws.

Zull said the judge added that these violations left the Court with no option than to jail each of the miners for six months or fine each of them N200,000 as provided by the Service’s law.

“The Illegal miners were caught in the act at Ifumpa axis of the Park and arrested by a combined team of rangers of Cross River National Park.

“After passing the judgment, all the convicted miners were taken to the Correctional Service Centre in Calabar to serve their jail terms having failed to pay their fines,” he said.

Zull said that Dr Ibrahim Goni the CG of NPS, said that illegal mining is one of the major challenges the parks in Nigeria are facing.

“However, the CG said that in spite of the magnitude of these challenges, the parks are still steadfast in their resolve to protect the entity of their parks no matter the consequences.

“The CG used the moment to salute the rangers for their commitment and loyalty to the service and their country.

“He also condoled with the families of those that either died or lost one thing or the other in the course of protecting the parks while calling on other rangers not to be deterred by the challenges on ground,” he said.

According to Zull, the CG says that the service will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incidence with a view to ensure that justice is done.

He said the CG called on all stakeholders in and beyond Nigeria to join the service in clearing the parks of illegal miners and other wildlife miscreants so as to allow the service achieve its purpose of establishment for national development. (NAN)

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