June 6, 2018

A Magistrates’ Court in Minna on Wednesday sentenced 13 men to six months imprisonment for engaging in illegal mining.

The men are Umar Bala, Sani Sadiq, Shaibu Musa, Mohammed Bala, Hassan Hussaini, Usman Bawa and Mubarak Lawal.

Others are Mukhtari Ibrahim, Umar Sani, Sadiq Liman, Emmanuel Joshua, Babangida Hassan and Idris Suleiman.

They were earlier docked on a two-count charge of criminal trespass and illegal mining, contrary to Sections 348 and 29 of the Penal Code.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Ahmed Ali, told the court that a complaint was received from the authorities of the Niger State College of Education, Minna on May 31 on the activities of the men.

Ali said the college authorities had complained that the convicts were trespassing into the premises of the college for mining activities.

He said that the illegal mining was affecting buildings in the college, prompting the police to arrest the miners, who were subsequently, charged to court.

The prosecutor said that he thereafter, prayed court to try the men summarily in line with Section 157 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

In his ruling, Magistrate Jibrin Zabo sentenced the men to six months imprisonment or to pay a fine of N20, 000 each.