Five private security guards have been arrested for allegedly attempting to shoot at State Minister for Minerals, Phiona Nyamutoro. The minister was accompanied by Agnes Alaba, the Acting Commissioner for Mines and Minerals. The incident reportedly happened at Butare, Katojo Town Council, Rubanda District, on Thursday.
The minister and the mineral officials had gone to inspect an iron ore mine in Butare belonging to National Cement Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Devki Group of companies.
The officials had spent the whole of Wednesday in a consultative meeting with miners from the Kigezi region at White Horse Inn in Kabale District, discussing the ongoing biometric registration of artisanal miners across the country.
However, upon arriving at the mine on Thursday, the officials were met with a cold reception by four private security guards guarding the miners. The guards blocked the officials from accessing the mine and even cocked their guns, ready to shoot.
The minister and her team were reportedly saved by her police bodyguards, who quickly moved in to disarm and arrest the guards before they could harm their principals.
When contacted, Alaba confirmed the development, saying that all officials are safe. She, however, declined to add more details and referred our reporter to the ministry’s communication officer for further information.
Minister Nyamutoro was seen expressing disbelief at the guards’ attempt to shoot at them, especially given that the mining activity was illegal. She also ordered the immediate closure of the mine until further notice.
Elly Maate, the police spokesperson for the Kigezi region, confirmed that the security guards are being held at Rubanda Police Station as investigations into the matter continue. Maate also mentioned that the security guards were armed with three Submachine Guns (SMGs). The case is registered at Rubanda Police Station under file number SD 25/20/06/2024.
