There is an uneasy calm in Cross River State following the controversial and illegal arrest and abduction of Prince Paul, a senior aide to Governor Bassey Otu and Head of the state’s Anti-Illegal Mining Taskforce, orchestrated by a former member representing Akamkpa/Biase federal constituency of Cross River State, Hon. Daniel Asuquo a.k.a Dansuki.

Asuquo is alleged to be an illegal miner, who is allegedly responsible for attracting illegal mining activities to Cross River State, with the intention of turning the state into perilous paths like Zamfara, Benue and Niger States, where illegal mining has fuelled violence, environmental degradation and economic sabotage.

Paul was illegally arrested Wednesday while leading a sensitization campaign aimed at educating rural communities on the dangers and illegality of unregulated mining activities.

The situation has sparked outrage within government circles and among concerned citizens who now believe that the alleged illegal mining activities of Asuquo are a clear and present danger to the people of the state. 

Addressing a mammoth crowd and supporters numbering about 2,000, after his release on Friday, Paul accused the former member of the House of Representatives, Asuquo, of using the name of the Chief of Staff to the President and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to disrupt ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining in the state. 

“I was arrested on the day we were supposed to be sensitizing the people on the consequences of illegal mining, he has stopped us from carrying out our duties, because he was once arrested on a mining site that does not belong to him and boasting that Gbajabiamilia is his friend, who assisted him with police from Abuja because both were together in the house” he said.

According to Paul, Asuquo had bragged that Gbajabiamila had sent policemen directly from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest him and take him to Abuja for an indefinite detainment. 

Asuquo had also said that the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu had assured him of the 2027 Senate nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Cross River Southern Senatorial District against the incumbent Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong. 

Speaking further, Paul said: “We have intelligence that most of his boys (Dansuki) are working here and despite being Chairman of Akampka Local Government when I was just 12 years and having been a member of the House of Representatives for 12 years, he has no good record or trace of dividend of democracy to his people, so he should not come to mining and disturb us.”

He said that no matter how highly connected the perpetrators may be, the law will take its course, noting that his team is not tired and will make sure Cross River State is sanitized and rid of illegal miners. 

He also sent a warning to illegal miners not to carry on with such illegality as the state is resolute in its intention to ensure that it is free from illegal mining and its consequences. 

The Cross River State Government has earlier affirmed its resolve to pursue and prosecute illegal miners, collaborators and their political backers, vowing to use all lawful means to rid the state of the menace and safeguard its environment, and protect communities from the social and security threats posed by unchecked mining activities.