Tension In Onitsha As Anambra Sand Miners, Tipper Drivers Protest Alleged Extortion

By Chuks Eke—

Palpable tension filled the premises of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) in Onitsha, Anambra State, as members of the Sand Miners and Tipper Drivers Association gathered en masse to protest alleged extortion and intimidation by the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) Brigade – a state government enforcement agency – and Professor Charles Ofoegbu, Chairman of the state Solid Mineral Development Committee.

Over 1,000 demonstrators carried placards with inscriptions such as: “OCHA Brigade should stop sealing our beaches,” “Enough of this double taxation and intimidation,” and “OCHA Brigade is not the Police, DSS, or Civil Defence.”

Other placards read: “Sand miners and tipper drivers contribute significantly to revenue generation for all tiers of government,” “Professor Charles Ofoegbu, your negative attitude is affecting federal government revenue generation,” and “We are not illegal miners; we have licenses from NIWA and the Federal Ministry of Mines.”

Addressing the protesters, Sir Chris Mbaegbu, President of the Sand Miners Association, lamented the financial losses his members have suffered due to crackdowns on their operations and the seizure of their equipment.

“We recognise and pay dues to our host Local Government Areas – Onitsha South, Onitsha North, Oyi, and Ogbaru – but we are surprised that Governor Chukwuma Soludo appears to be allowing agencies like the OCHA Brigade to undermine the progress he is working so hard to achieve. Governor Soludo should call his state actors to order before they cause havoc.”

He continued, “Henceforth, we will resist any further harassment, extortion, or intimidation of our members who are carrying out their legitimate duties as sand miners and tipper drivers.”

The association appealed to Governor Soludo for an audience to discuss revenue remittance terms, ensuring the state government receives appropriate revenue.

“We have discovered that only half of the revenue we pay to government agents actually reaches state coffers,” Mbaegbu stated.

Uche Okafor, a sand miner, alleged that the OCHA Brigade sealed mining beaches along the River Niger, impounded their equipment, and are now demanding millions of naira for their release.

He expressed surprise that the OCHA Brigade would infringe upon NIWA’s Right of Way, which grants them the operational license for mining activities along the riverbank.

Prince Augustine Akaigwe, the state Chairman of the Tipper Drivers Association, disclosed that OCHA Brigade officials impounded their tippers, arrested over 21 members, and detained them at their base, demanding between N300,000 and more from each member for bail and the release of their seized trucks.

NIWA Area Manager for Onitsha, Sir Victor Nwokocha, commended the protesters for their peaceful demonstration and assured them he would relay their complaint to Governor Soludo through NIWA Headquarters. He emphasized that NIWA issued the miners their operational licenses, as stipulated in its establishment Act.

In a telephone interview, Chief Celestine Anaere, the Chief Executive Officer of the OCHA Brigade, denied any extortion, stating that their focus is on preventing the indiscriminate dumping of sand and water on roads by tipper drivers, which damages the road surface and creates untidiness.