Residents of Amaibo Nguru Community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday over alleged environmental degradation and worsening insecurity linked to illegal mining activities.
The protesters, comprising women and community elders, marched through major parts of the community carrying placards and calling on the Imo State Government to immediately halt the activities of the illegal miners.
They alleged that the miners had destroyed large areas of farmland, degraded the environment and left behind dangerous borrow pits that now pose serious risks to residents.
Speaking during the protest, the President-General of Nguru Community, Peter Okerafor, said the continued illegal mining had caused extensive environmental damage and affected the livelihoods of residents who depend on farming.
He appealed to the Imo State Government and relevant regulatory agencies to stop the illegal mining operations and restore the affected land.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Elders Council of Amaibo Nguru Community, Ethel Ekechi, raised concerns over the deteriorating security situation, alleging that abandoned borrow pits had become hideouts for criminal elements.
Ekechi said the development had heightened fear among residents and urged the government to protect lives and property by ending the illegal mining activities.
The protesters also called on the state government to investigate the miners’ activities, rehabilitate the degraded land and ensure those responsible are held accountable.
