Women protest arrest of husbands, sons in Ebonyi over illegal mining

Women protest husbands, sons arrest.

Scores of women in Amagu community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on Tuesday protested the arrest of their husbands and sons by the police over mining of lead mineral deposit in the community.

Naija News gathered that the residents of the community and some officials of the government in the area have been involved in a clash over mining without receiving license from the government.

It was gathered that pandemonium broke out after police arrested six persons over the alleged illegal mining which led to protest by angry youth of the area who blocked the entrance and exit points of the area to prevent police officers from leaving with the arrested persons.

Six persons were reportedly injured in the clash that ensued between the police and the youth.

It was learnt further that the police had earlier arrested 30 members of the community which got the women infuriated and they took to the streets of Abakaliki to protest the arrest.

The women were loaded in trucks from the community to the state capital Abakaliki and to Abakaliki local government headquarters. The gate of the local government was shut by the security officers, thus, denying the irated women entry.

One of the protesters, Nwofoke Blessing, told newsmen, “we are here to tell the council chairman that we are not happy the way our husbands and sons are arrested. We are telling him to release our husbands and sons. Since yesterday morning they have been arresting our youths and husbands, even my husband was also arrested.

“This morning, they came back with seven hilux vans and continued the arrest of our youths and husbands. We were having meeting in our play ground when they came in and arrested our people there”.

“This is why we the women came out to see our council chairman, but police blocked us. We succeeded in coming to the local government to tell the chairman to release all our people. The problem is lead(mineral deposit) issue. Some government officials want to carry all the mineral deposits without us benefiting and our youth said no that we are members of the community who should be carried along”.

Addressing the women, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on internal security, Kenneth Ugbala, assured them that the state government will resolve the issue, urging them not to take laws into their hands in order not to escalate the matter.

The police spokesperson, Loveth Odah, said there was a formal report against illegal mining in the community which the police acted upon and arrested six persons who were mining in the area illegally.

“Police are investigating the matter and I think that is why the women are protesting. In no distant time, police will get to the root of the matter and their husbands and sons will be released to them.

“What we are appealing to them is to calm down so that they will not succeed in destroying more properties,” she said.