The Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State, OCHA Brigade has arrested over forty suspects for illegal sand mining in Awka, Onitsha and environs.
The Brigade also sealed off the illegal sand mining sites.
The enforcement which was carried out by the task force of OCHA Brigade, raided mining sites at Nibo-Umuawulu, Isuaniocha, Okpuno and Niger Street Onitsha where they dislodged all the activities of illegal sand miners.
The Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Mr Celestine Anere said that any sand mining activity without approval remains illegal considering their impact on the environment.
He said the State Government through the Ministry of Environment had issued a stop work order to the miners due to the seeming imminent disaster and inherent danger posed by their mining activities, but now had to resort to the total ban to protect public infrastructure as well as lives and property of the citizenry.
According to Mr Anere, the government had to be decisive as the land degradation caused by activities of miners around the areas has reached an alarming stage, requiring urgent and immediate action and revealed that the suspects will undergo documentation before being handed over to appropriate authorities.
Some of the suspects, Ebuka Okwuegbunam and Eni Esu pleaded for leniency.
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