The Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Felix Odimegwu, has denied ordering security personnel to shoot and beat illegal sand miners at Ebenator in the Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state.
Odimegwu stated in a statement on Monday while reacting to reports circulating online that he ordered operatives of Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade) to shoot and beat some illegal sand miners operating in that community.
The PUNCH says that the alleged shooting incident, which reportedly occurred at a sand mining site in the Ọfara Ime River in Ebenator last Tuesday, has continued to generate reactions and raise serious concerns about the conduct of state government operatives.
Accusing fingers were pointed at the Odimegwu and some ministry officials, whom the victims said allegedly sent the state government’s task force and operatives that went for the operation.
But Odimegwu, while reacting to the development, insisted that neither he nor his ministry sent security operatives to the Ebenator community.
He stated that the OCHA Brigade acted in strict compliance with the directives of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, against sand mining by sending their officers accompanied by officers of the Anambra vigilante group to the illegal sand mining site, and not the ministry.
The commissioner used the opportunity to remind Ndi Anambra, especially local government area chairmen, that the state government had suspended sand mining in the state and whoever must mine sand in the state must obtain approval from the governor.
