The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intensified its clampdown on illegal mineral exploitation, shutting down multiple unauthorized dredging, sand mining, and quarrying sites in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The operation, led by the Commander of the Mining Marshals for the South-South region, DSC Emmanuel Abiahu, follows renewed directives from the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, to protect critical national assets and enforce mining regulations nationwide.

Abiahu warned that all operators in the solid minerals sector must immediately update their licenses, stressing that defaulters will face prosecution. “We are actively dismantling illegal sites backed by intelligence. This is a final warning,” he said.

The Corps urged community members to report suspicious mining activities and pledged sustained collaboration with local authorities to safeguard the nation’s economic environment.