The Imo State Government has imposed an immediate and comprehensive ban on all mining and dredging activities within the Owerri Capital Territory, citing years of unchecked operations that have led to severe flooding, soil erosion, and infrastructure collapse.

Announcing the decision during a stakeholder meeting, Commissioner for Industry, Mines and Solid Minerals, Ernest Ibejiako, said the move was necessary to halt the “indiscriminate devastation” of the city’s environment. “No responsible government will sit back and allow her environment to be degraded to the point of collapse,” he stated.

The government’s action invokes Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978, demanding the revocation of all federal mining licenses within the territory.

Despite previous bans in 2017 and 2019, illegal dredging and sand mining have persisted, widening the Owerri River to dangerous proportions and damaging key infrastructure, including bridges and university perimeter fences.

Ibejiako praised the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development for dispatching senior officials to assess the situation and warned that violators would face prosecution under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.

“Let us save Owerri now, or risk losing her forever,” he declared, reaffirming the Uzodinma administration’s commitment to sustainable development. He emphasized that responsible mining may continue outside the capital territory, but only under strict compliance with Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Environmental Management Plans (EMP), and Community Development Agreements (CDA).

The ban marks a decisive step in protecting Owerri’s ecological integrity and signals a broader push for environmental accountability across Nigeria’s mining sector.