Truck driver, jailed, one other docked for illegal mining in Kwara

<p>Six persons were again killed in the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State when gunmen stormed the area.</p>, <p>Also arrested are 31-year-old Salisu Ismail, and 27-year-old Habeeb Saudi, who acted as receivers of stolen items from the gang.</p>, <p>Lepidolite, according to the anti-graft agency, is one of the raw materials which unlicensed mining operators usually transport to China through illegal means for the production of batteries for vehicles, cell phones, cameras and other electronic devices, an act punishable under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983.</p>, <p>A 25-year-old truck driver, Nuhu Musa, from Zaria Local Government of Kaduna State, was convicted on Wednesday by a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin for unlawful possession of solid minerals said to be lepidolite in Kwara State.</p>, <p>The judge then sentenced Musa to four months imprisonment with the option of a fine of N200,000 and also ordered that the 40 tons of minerals recovered from the convict at the point of arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government.</p>, <p>The defendant’s counsel, Olabisi Salako, told the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client and that the same had been served on the prosecution.</p>, <p>“Police did not rest on its oars; combed the bush where two of the suspects were arrested.</p>, <p>“But on getting to a point around Ikire jurisdiction, the said passengers forced him to stop and started shooting to scare him; while struggling with them, he was stabbed with a knife at his left hand, pushed out of the vehicle, and suspects went away with the said 4matic Benz car.</p>, <p>The Command also recovered one Mercedes C-Class, one cut-to-size pistol, one live cartridge and one knife from them.</p>, <p></p>, <p>According to Opalola, who addressed journalists on the gains by the Command, “On 15th June 2023 at about 0630hrs, the complainant reported at Gbongan Division that, at about 0100hrs of same date he picked four (4) passengers from Opic park, Ogun Stat