Troops seize 10,400 bags of black sand, arrest five illegal miners in Bayelsa
Joint Task Force Seizes Illegally Mined Ilmenite Sand in Bayelsa
Bayelsa State – Troops from the Joint Task Force South-South, operating under the initiative known as Delta Sanity, recovered approximately 10,400 bags of suspected illegally mined ilmenite sand, often referred to as black sand, during an operation on Saturday afternoon.
The operation occurred around 12:45 p.m. on August 22, 2026, following intelligence reports concerning the movement of illegal miners in the vicinity of Bassambiri Community in the Nembe Local Government Area. According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, personnel from the 343 Artillery Regiment responded to the intelligence and intercepted a tugboat and a barge believed to be transporting the illicit mineral.
During the operation, five individuals suspected of illegal mining were apprehended, and both the vessels and their cargo were seized. The suspects, along with the recovered items, were subsequently transferred to the Police Division in Nembe for further investigation and appropriate legal action.
Makama highlighted that this operation is part of broader efforts by security agencies to combat illegal mining and related illicit activities within the Niger Delta region.
