Troops seize 10,400 bags of black sand, arrest five illegal miners in Bayelsa

Troops of the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Sanity, person seized astir 10,400 bags of suspected illegally mined ilmenite sand, popularly known arsenic achromatic sand, and arrested 5 suspected amerciable miners successful Bayelsa State.

The cognition was conducted astatine astir 12:45pm connected Saturday, August 22, 2026, pursuing quality connected the question of suspected amerciable miners astir Bassambiri Community successful Nembe Local Government Area.

According to information expert Zagazola Makama, troops of the 343 Artillery Regiment responded to the quality and intercepted a tugboat and barge carrying the suspected mineral resources.

Five suspects were arrested during the operation, portion the vessels and their cargo were recovered.

“The suspects and recovered items were subsequently handed implicit to the Police Division successful Nembe for further probe and indispensable ineligible action,” Makama reported.

Makama said the operation formed part of ongoing efforts by information agencies to tackle amerciable mining and different illicit activities successful the Niger Delta.

Troops prehend 10,400 bags of achromatic sand, apprehension 5 amerciable miners successful Bayelsa