The Ebonyi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended four individuals for illegal mining and the construction of a gas plant in unsafe locations.
The suspects were arrested during a raid on a mining site in Ameka, Ezza South Local Government Area, and at a gas plant in Ezzamgbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area. The gas plant was found within a densely populated residential area, surrounded by homes, shops, churches, and children playing nearby.
NSCDC State Commandant Francis Nnadi, who led the operation, described the activities as serious threats to public safety. He criticised the suspects for operating without the required licences and highlighted the risks posed by such hazardous practices.
“This is almost 2.8 tons of gas located in a residential area. These are residential buildings, and you can even see people cooking nearby.
“You can see children playing around, and there’s even a church beside this gas plant. We need to make the general public aware of the hazardous nature of this business. There are no requisite documents permitting this kind of operation in such an environment,” Nnadi said. He warned against such negligence, citing the dangers of fires or explosions that could devastate the community.
The gas plant, lacking the necessary permits, has been sealed off, and the suspects are set to face prosecution. Nnadi urged residents to avoid dangerous practices and reminded them of past disasters, such as the Los Angeles wildfire, to emphasize the risks.
One of the suspects, Oge Dandy, admitted to funding the gas plant’s construction without obtaining approvals. Claiming he was unaware of the unsafe location, he stated that he had entrusted the project to someone else while residing in Plateau State, only to discover the plant’s location upon returning home last Christmas.
The NSCDC reaffirmed its commitment to combating activities that endanger public safety and vowed to hold violators accountable.
