The Attah of Agoi Ibami in Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Michael Onun, has voiced serious concerns over the safety of his community following an influx of illegal miners. He described how a wave of unknown individuals, including minors, has flooded his community in search of gold and other valuable minerals, overwhelming the local population.
In an exclusive interview, the traditional ruler revealed that while he had granted consent to a few licensed miners—who never acted on their approvals—thousands of unauthorised individuals had arrived in Agoi Ekpo over the past months to mine illegally.
“But thousands of persons who I dont know have been flocking into Agoi Ekpo since the last months without authorisation. They’re in the bushes doing mining. There’s one Sulaiman Isa who is at the fore front. I don’t know him. He is powerful.” Onun stated.
Despite repeatedly notifying federal and state mining authorities, as well as security agencies including the Nigeria Immigration Service, the traditional ruler lamented that no decisive action had been taken. He suggested that influential figures, including some locals, might be colluding with the illegal miners.

“We need security agencies to contain these people. These illegal miners must be told clearly that they must not undermine the authorities and should do the right thing,” he insisted.
Echoing Onun’s concerns, Fred Okoi Otosi, a community leader from neighbouring Nko, estimated that over 10,000 illegal miners are currently operating within the Agoi Ekpo forest.
He added that the Ikom-Calabar federal highway, particularly from the slaughterhouse to the mining site, is frequently congested with illegal miners.
Otosi further alleged that while only a few individuals hold legal mining licences, they exploit their permits by collecting money from unlicensed operators, effectively enabling an influx of illegal miners into the community.
Otosi criticised the authorities for previously dismissing warnings about the situation as mere social media chatter, only for the crisis to escalate beyond control. He called for urgent security action, warning that certain individuals benefiting from the illegal mining trade may be sabotaging efforts to restore order.