Cross River Government Issues Ultimatum to Miners Amid Security Concerns

The Cross River State government has directed all miners, both licensed and illegal, to vacate communities and forests immediately, citing growing security threats. Major General Obono Ubi, the Senior Special Adviser on State Security, has given the miners a five-day ultimatum to disarm and remove their equipment or face decisive state action.

The directive comes amid reports that individuals, allegedly from northern Nigeria and the Sahel region, have infiltrated Agoi Ibami and other communities in Yakurr Local Government Area (LGA), as well as the Cross River National Parks. These individuals, posing as miners in search of gold and other precious stones, reportedly arrived in five long buses in late December 2024.  

In response to the escalating security risks, Grimah Gyogon, the state’s Commissioner of Police, deployed personnel for surveillance. Additionally, the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Calabar dispatched two busloads of soldiers to expel the intruders. Several individuals were arrested for failing to provide valid explanations for their presence.

At a town hall meeting on illegal mining, attended by traditional rulers, security chiefs, and registered miners from affected areas like Biase, Akamkpa, and Yakurr, participants expressed grave concerns over the activities of the so-called miners.  

Major General Ubi accused some local youths of aiding the illegal miners, stating, "I have video evidence showing armed youths from our communities assisting these foreign miners in destroying our forests and communities." He warned that the government’s tolerance was over, emphasizing that “every miner must leave the forests within five days.”

The security adviser further tasked traditional chiefs with identifying and exposing locals who conspire with the intruders, asserting that their cooperation has enabled the miners to operate with impunity.  

Chief Etebom Effiom Moma, a respected traditional leader, voiced fears about the growing number of armed foreigners in the forests and communities near Cross River National Parks. “These individuals are not here solely for gold; they have ulterior motives that pose a serious threat to our state,” Moma said.

He urged the government to act swiftly, warning that the influx of over 2,000 foreigners, many reportedly armed, could destabilize the region. “I pray that the high insecurity witnessed in northern Nigeria doesn’t become our reality in Cross River,” he cautioned.