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Members of the Imo State branch of the Miners Association of Nigeria, on Monday, protested against what they termed as illegal activities of the personnel of the National Inland Waterway Authority in Imo state.
Members of the association, who bore placards of various inscriptions stormed the Imo State office of the National Inland Waterway Authority in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The protesting miners also visited other offices of affiliate bodies such as Imo State Ministry of Mines and Solid Mineral, Owerri and the Federal Secretariat of the Ministry of Miners and Solid Mineral, the Department of Security Services and the state Police Command headquarters, Owerri to register their grievances.
Addressing newsmen during the protest, the chairman of the Imo State Miners Association, Prince Ugochukwu Onyenwenwa, disclosed that his members had been severally assaulted, molested and intimidated by the personnel of NIWA in the state.
Onyenwenwa further explained that NIWA officers working with thugs and military personnel had been chasing their members, away from their sand mining sites.
He added that they also tormented and harassed, as well as extorted money from miners.
He said that the matter was reported to him when a NIWA officer allegedly demanded that each miner in the state should pay a huge amount of money before he could excavate sand in the state.
He maintained that the association was ready to comply, but needed explanation from NIWA on the payment issue to avoid double taxation and extortion.
He said, “NIWA is not ready to explain the terms before resorting to intimidation and assaulting of members of the Imo State Miners Association.”
He stated that they cannot fold their arms and watch their members brutalized daily by NIWA hoodlums and security operatives.
Onyenwenwa described his members as responsible citizens, who have been adhering to the policies and programmes of the government and see no reason they should be subjected to humiliation by NIWA.
He disclosed that NIWA officials had pushed Imo miners to the wall and demanded that they should be called to order before it became too late.
Onyenwenwa implored the concerned authority to ask NIWA to withdraw soldiers and hoodlums, who had been shooting sporadically at the various mining sites.
Addressing the protesters, the state Commissioner for Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals, Chief Ernest Ibejiako, condemned the actions of the officers of the National Inland Waterway Authority and promised to call them to order.
He commended the miners for not resorting to any unlawful approach.
In his comments, the Federal Mining Officer in the state, Mr Idris Omobolaji, made it clear that NIWA had no control over sand miners, pointing out that their “schedule” was to check those that obstruct the waterways.
Omobolaji added that NIWA officers had nothing to do with the Owerri Zone sand miners’ sites, as the place had no river port or waterway to attract such intervention by NIWA.
He revealed that NIWA had only the Orlu Zone, mostly Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta local government areas to operate in Imo State.
He cautioned NIWA to stop and desist from intimidating Imo State miners.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Administration) Imo State Police Command, DCP Barka Haruna, who represented the Commissioner of Police, CP Aboki Danjuma, told the protesters to remain calm since the case was still under investigation by the police.
He said that proper actions would be taken to stop any form of molestation and harassment.
