Police repulse armed intruders invading NMGM

THE North Mara Gold Mine (NMGM) on last Wednesday managed to push out over 100 illegal miners armed with crude weapons including matches and spears after scaling its 3- metre-high perimeter wall with the intention of stealing.

According to a press statement released to the media, of these about 70 of them made their ways onto the mine’s premises and started seizing materials from its stockpile and sabotaging property, when alert was made to the mine security.

It further read that, thereafter, the unarmed private security contractors of the company intervened, but were attacked and overpowered by the illegal miners, forcing them to seek Police assistance.

“The mine then asked the police to enter the site to remove these intruders, which they did for over a period of approximately one and half hours. During this operation one of the intruders was injured and the police transported him to a nearby hospital for treatment, where he sadly succumbed to his injuries. In the course of duty, two police officers were injured,” it read in part.

Reached for a comment, Tarime /Rorya Police Special Zone Commander, ACP Geoffrey Sarakikya, admitted the occurrence of the intrusion, where they used teargas to repulse the invaders, saying: “Intrusion is a criminal offence and Police will not hesitate to protect property and lives of Tanzanians and investors in the hands of few people out to reap, where they did not sow.”

He added: “In attempts to repulse them, they pelted our officers with stones and still the Police with teargas managed to chase them out of the premises.”