Over 30 foreigners made up of Chinese, Burkinabe and Malians have been repatriated from Nigeria over their involvement in illegal gold mining in Zamfara state.
Governor Bello Matawalle disclosed this in Abuja on Friday to State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari who he briefed on the security situation in the state.
He also said that the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the police has affected the security situation in the state leading to the killing of 20 people by bandits in the last few days.
Matawalle added: “To me, in Zamfara State, SARS is doing very well because they are tracking those criminals and prosecuting them, particularly those in the high area.
“SARS has the capacity to track and bring them to justice. So, to me, in Zamfara State we are in need of SARS, we know with their presence we have experienced peace in the state.”
“I am not saying it must be SARS, whatever name will be given to it, we want them in our state. We did not experience any of those things they did that caused them to be disbanded in my state.”
The governor, therefore, requested for more security personnel to secure the state.
On illegal mining of gold in the state, he said: “We have repatriated 11 Chinese and over twenty-something from Burkina Faso and Mali. You know we have the problem of a very porous border particularly from Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Niger Republic. People use to cross freely but with the measures that have been taken by Nigeria Immigration Services, I know they have put some measures in this border to checkmate the movement of other nationals into Nigeria.
“I am confident that very soon we won’t have the problem of other nationals illegally come into our country anymore.
“Still on the gold mine, what we are doing now with the task force that will be put in place to check illegal miners, I think the central government needs to do something and put measures in place to harness this untapped mineral resources in the state.
“As you are aware, the ministry of solid minerals is working hard with a genuine workable document that will benefit both the state and the federal government.”
While disclosing that he urged the president to intervene, he said: “I came to brief Mr President on the current security situation in the state. After the disbandment of SARS, we had some challenges, particularly day before yesterday about 20 people were killed in a local government.
“So, I am soliciting for Mr President to intervene and see how we can have more security personnel to secure the state’s territory.
“I also informed him about some illegal miners activities and taking place in the state. We have been able to form a committee, a task force on illegal mining so that they can go round the state and fish out those behind the illegal mining activities.
“Most of the illegal miners are not Nigerians but with the support of army, police and other security agencies in the state, some of them were apprehended and repatriated to their respective countries.
“Those were the two issues we discussed with Mr President.”
The governor also revealed that Buhari directed the chief of staff to the president to work with relevant government agencies on the security issue in Zamfara.
“So, the chief of staff will contact the army, police and other security agencies to mobilize more security to the state with immediate effect,” he said.
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