In a decisive move against illegal mining and maritime criminality, personnel of Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO intercepted a wooden boat conveying 4,000 bags of suspected illegally mined black sand in Bayelsa State.
The operation, conducted at about 1958 hours on 11 Nov 26 at Tebidaba 2 Houseboat led to the arrest of eight crew members onboard the vessel, preliminary investigations revealed that the boat’s manager, identified as Mr Abraham failed to produce valid documentation authorising the transportation of the mineral resources.
A document subsequently forwarded by one Mr Theophilus, who claimed ownership of the cargo, was also found insufficient to establish the legitimacy of the operation.
The suspects boat and cargo were secured at Tebidaba 2 Houseboat for further investigation. However, the vessel was later discovered to be in a poor state, with severe water ingress.
Consequently, on 12 Nov 26, at about 2230 hours, the eight suspects, alongside the boat and its contents, were handed over to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) at Ologbobiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Security Coordinator, for further investigation and necessary action.
Following the successful operation, the Commanding Officer, FOB FORMOSO, Capt SK Haruna, commended the personnel for their vigilance and professionalism, noting that the interception underscores the Base’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the maritime environment, curbing the illegal exploitation of natural resources and ensuring that criminal activities find no safe haven within the waterways.
The Commanding Officer further advised the miners to obtain approvals at both the federal and state governments levels before engaging in mining and the transportation of mineral resources.