Soldiers from the 176 Guards Battalion conducted a successful raid on unauthorized mining locations within the Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, resulting in the capture of a suspected ringleader and three associates.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama announced the news on X this past Wednesday. The tactical operation took place at 8:30 p.m. on July 13 in the Dukpa Community. This action followed actionable intelligence obtained after a prior arrest of illegal miners in the same vicinity on July 7.
The primary suspect reportedly confessed during initial questioning to financing the illicit activities and revealed he had brought in workers from Katsina State to execute the mining efforts. Authorities confiscated several items during the raid, including a motorcycle, a variety of mining tools, pumping nozzles, 53 wraps of suspected cannabis, and 360,400 Naira in cash.
Military officials indicated that the detainees and the seized evidence remain in custody for processing before they are transferred to the relevant authorities for legal action. This raid is part of the broader Operation MESA initiative, which seeks to eliminate illegal mining syndicates and safeguard natural resources while mitigating security risks across the region.
