Police reinforcements from the Mobile Unit have successfully dispersed over 25,000 illegal gold miners from the Kikonge area of Mufumbwe District in the North-Western Province. A team of Cabinet Ministers, led by Defence Minister Mr. Ambrose Lufuma, visited the area and revealed that the illegal miners had fled to nearby areas following the security intervention.

Minister Lufuma emphasized that the Ministry of Defence will not tolerate lawlessness in Kikonge, citing the health hazards, conflicts, and social ills associated with illegal mining. The defence and security wings have cordoned off a 120-kilometre radius of the Kikonge area to halt illegal mining activities.

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Mr. Jack Mwiimbu, disclosed that the police had confiscated over 20 vehicles, 100 scanning machines and gold detectors, and five guns from the illegal miners. Some of the seized guns were military-grade, indicating that the illegal miners were heavily armed.

The government has directed the police to ensure that everyone still in the Kikonge area is dispersed, and more reinforcements will be sent to Mufumbwe to address the ongoing problem of illegal mining.

North-Western Province Minister Robert Lihefu has urged people in the region to stop illegal mining and instead collaborate with the government to engage in organized mining activities.