Residents of Amaibo Nguru Community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest over the alleged environmental degradation and growing insecurity caused by illegal mining activities in the area.
The protesters, made up of women and elders of the community, marched through major parts of the community carrying placards and calling on the Imo State Government to urgently intervene and stop the activities of the illegal miners.
They alleged that the miners had destroyed vast hectares of farmland, degraded the environment, and left behind large borrow pits that now pose serious threats to the community.
Speaking during the protest, the President-General of Nguru Community, Peter Okerafor, lamented that the continued activities of the illegal miners had caused extensive damage to the environment and negatively affected the livelihoods of residents who depend on farming.
He appealed to the state government and relevant regulatory agencies to take immediate action to halt the illegal mining operations and restore the affected areas.
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Also speaking, the Chairman of the Elders Council of Amaibo Nguru Community, Ethel Ekechi, expressed concern over the worsening security situation, alleging that the abandoned borrow pits had become hideouts for criminal elements.
Ekechi said the development had heightened fear among residents and called on the government to safeguard lives and property by bringing an end to the illegal mining activities.
The protesters urged the state government to investigate the activities of the miners, rehabilitate the degraded land, and ensure that those responsible were held accountable.
