The Nigeria Police Force has insisted that it will continue with the ongoing investigation into the illegal mining activities in Rafin Gabbas at Kokona LGA Nasarawa State, where dead bodies have been recovered already, in spite of the withdrawal of petition against it
The security source, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, said since dead bodies had been recovered from the ongoing investigations, the investigations into the illegal mining activities in the areas will be intensified so as to determine what is happening and how many people have died there, notwithstanding the withdrawal of petition against the police by the NSCDC Mining Marshall.
It would be noted that the police already had a court order to investigate the mining sites as well as the mining companies allegedly operating illegally in the Rafin Gabbas mining sites.
The leadership of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, had ordered Immediate Withdrawal of Mining Marshal’s Petition to Senate Against Police
The NSCDC had expressed its displeasure over the petition allegedly filed by the Commander of the Mining Marshal, ACC Attah Onoja, before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions concerning an alleged attack and shooting of its mining marshals by some police officers, including the alleged obstruction of its efforts to prosecute illegal miners arrested in Nasarawa State.
Onoja, had filed a petition against the Nigeria Police Force before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
However, CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer, NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja, stated that the Commandant General, CG, Dr Ahmed Audi, was displeased by the development.
Audi noted that the commander of the Mining Marshal acted outside his purview by filing the petition without the authorisation of the management.
The statement noted that the corps’ management therefore dissociates itself from the petition, and the officer has been directed to immediately withdraw the said petition to allow for a smooth and amicable resolution of the issues raised, in the spirit of the robust inter-agency relationship
Audi reaffirmed his commitment to inter-agency collaboration, particularly with the Nigeria Police, in the shared goal of combating crime and ensuring the safety of all Nigerians.
The CG also proposed a joint investigation with the Police to ascertain the facts of the incident and chart a path toward a common resolution.
Meanwhile, the villagers are already demanding for thorough investigation into the cause of the dead bodies recovered by the police investigators.
They are demanding justice and calling on the police to ascertain the number of people who have died in the mining sites and their identities.
One of the villagers, John Mark said , “it will be unfair if we don’t get justice for our brothers who have died in the sites.
”We are calling for thorough investigation and prosecution of all those indicated in this case.”