17 Miners Arrested for Encroaching on National Park

Seventeen artisan miners were arrested in Cross River State for allegedly encroaching on protected areas of the Cross River National Park. The arrests were made by the park's Special Anti-Poaching Squad, with the suspects hailing from Ekuri Eyenyen and Etara communities in the Etung Local Government Area.

Conservator of Parks, Joseph Ntui, indicated that the arrests followed actionable intelligence and emphasized that mining, along with other activities, is prohibited within the national park. He noted the detrimental effects of mining on security, the economy, land degradation, and public health, citing pollution of local streams and agricultural lands.

Ntui also claimed that mining licenses were improperly issued for operations within the park, violating the National Park Service Act and the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act 2007. The suspects were allegedly hired by Ekpo Mbang Eno, a member of the Cross River State Anti-Illegal Mining Committee, who stated he was unaware of the area being restricted.

The Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Effiom-Ekaha Otu, acknowledged the possibility of licensing overlaps into reserved areas.