Mining deaths at Plateau treasure fields

•When mining sites turn killing fields

Bandits and terrorists are increasingly drawn to the country’s mining sites, particularly those in the North Central. These elements have repeatedly attacked mining sites in places like Plateau, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Kwara states. Apart from this, there have been cases of collapsed mining pits and the February carbon monoxide incident in Plateau, which killed about 34 persons. The North-Central Bureau Chief, ISAAC SHOBAYO, examines these scenarios and possible solutions to the worsening situation.

Plateau State has suffered a slew of fatalities and property destruction on multiple fronts as a result of banditry, terrorism, and other acts of bestiality over the last two decades. However, another dangerous dimension to this tragic development has recently emerged—attacks on artisanal miners at mining locations by bandits. The alarming trend is more prevalent in the Jos South, Jos East, Barkin-Ladi, Bokkos, Kanam, and Wase local government areas of the state. Apart from bandit attacks on mining sites, there have been reports of mining pits collapsing on miners, poisonous chemical leaks resulting in deaths, and other severe incidents.

Though many people make a living from mining, the God-given mineral deposits have become a dead end, particularly due to a lack of control, better known as illegal mining. In addition, mining sites across the state have become rendezvous points for various types of criminal activity.

In most of the mining communities, underage children who should be in school are found at these sites, performing menial jobs such as mineral monitoring and sand excavation. Economic desperation has further worsened the situation, with young men frequently working in dangerous, abandoned, or unsafe pits.

Checks by the Sunday Tribune revealed that most mining activities take place at night, rendering miners vulnerable to bandit attacks. Several miners have been killed while working at night, while there have also been incidents of pits collapsing on them.

Twelve miners were recently killed by bandits, and their mined minerals were stolen during a night operation in the Fan District of the Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of the state. A similar incident occurred in the Kuru community of Jos South Council, where seven people between the ages of 19 and 30 were killed. This pattern is also prevalent in other mining areas such as Wase and Bokkos.

Still grappling with this situation, a carbon monoxide leak in February this year led to the death of 37 miners in the Kampani Zurak community of Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, while they were working in an underground mining site. Twenty-five others were equally hospitalised after inhaling the deadly substance.

What started as a typical workday descended into tragedy, leaving friends, families, and the entire Wase Local Government Area in deep sorrow. Eyewitnesses described the incident as devastating, considering the number of casualties. Survivors and relatives of the deceased were seen overcome with grief as the magnitude of the tragedy became clear.

A resident of the community, Shehu Ibrahim, disclosed that beyond recent incidents, the community and other mining areas in the local government frequently experience bandit attacks at intervals, noting that such attacks have become a regular occurrence.

According to him, apart from the recent carbon monoxide leak, which claimed 37 lives and left 25 others hospitalised, bandits have turned these sites of livelihood into scenes of massacre. However, the Federal Government last Wednesday inaugurated a high-level investigative committee to examine the Zurak mine gas poisoning incident in Wase Local Government Area of the state. At the inauguration, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Henry Dele Alake, described the incident as “painful” and a wake-up call for stricter enforcement of safety standards within Nigeria’s mining sector. He stated that the government had strengthened regulatory oversight through inspectorate reforms, environmental compliance mechanisms, and the deployment of mine marshals to enhance accountability across the sector. He also called on mining operators across the country to deepen engagement with host communities and treat Community Development Agreements as binding social commitments rather than mere formalities.

Attacks on mining sites are not limited to Plateau State; other states within the North Central geopolitical zone are facing similar threats. Mining sites in the region have become soft targets for bandits largely because of the presence of mineral resources. Some time ago, 12 miners were shot dead by bandits at Unguwar Magro village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, and their minerals were carted away. Also in Niger State, illegal miners suspected to be bandits attacked NSCDC personnel on patrol, killing one officer and taking his rifle.

Nasarawa State is facing a similar situation, with several instances of bandits attacking miners, as well as cases of sand slides burying workers. In Kogi State, four Chinese nationals were abducted by bandits from a mining site in Yagba West Local Government Area. The attackers reportedly ambushed the victims, believed to be engaged in mining, and abducted them, while an unidentified soldier was killed.

Meanwhile, attempts to salvage the situation by both the federal and state governments have yet to yield significant results. To curb this trend, the Plateau State Government, in 2025, signed Executive Order 001, suspending mining activities across the state to protect the environment, address security challenges, and safeguard the well-being of citizens.

The governor stated that the suspension was necessary to curb illegal mining, mitigate land degradation, combat child labour, and address escalating security threats, including the influx of unregulated foreign miners, which has fueled banditry, drug trafficking, and illegal arms possession in mining communities. Governor Mutfwang emphasised: “This suspension is a crucial step towards securing our communities from the threats posed by unregulated mining activities. It is not intended to target individuals or hinder economic progress, but rather to ensure that mining is conducted in a responsible and sustainable manner.”

To oversee the implementation of reforms, the governor inaugurated a Technical Committee on Mining Reform, chaired by the Commissioner for Justice,  Philemon Dafi. Executive Order 001 was widely regarded as a laudable initiative that could restore order to a sector that has become a security threat to both humans and the environment. However, security agencies initially enforced the order vigorously but later relaxed their efforts.

Speaking on the development, the National President of the Berom Educational Development Organisation (BECO), Chief Gyang Dudu, lamented that many young people across mining communities in Plateau and other states see mineral resources as a viable source of livelihood. He noted that proper regulation and protection of mining sites could help curb banditry, terrorism, and other forms of insurgency.

He added that mining locations are soft targets for criminal elements and serve as sources of funding for their activities. According to him, artisanal miners, who are mostly illegal operators, often disregard safety regulations, leading to frequent pit collapses and other hazards.

“Additionally, the security agencies assigned to enforce the policy are not adhering strictly to their mandate. In some cases, despite the ban on night mining in Plateau State, they compromise and allow artisanal miners to operate at night. The government must take decisive action,” he said.

He further stressed that since mining sites have become killing fields, both government and community leaders must rethink their strategies. He also called for a review of the Mining Act, noting that the responsibilities assigned to states, communities, and landowners are weak.

According to Mr Dele Ayanleke, National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, mining sites attract bandits and other criminal elements because of the scale of activities taking place there. He noted that similar challenges had previously been experienced in the oil and gas sector.

“This is not the first time we are facing such a dilemma. In the Niger Delta, oil-producing communities experienced similar challenges before the federal government intervened. The measures taken then halted attacks on pipelines and reduced killings,” he said.

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He suggested that the federal government should adopt recommendations that place the mining sector on the same priority level as oil and gas. He added that just as a Joint Task Force (JTF) was established to address militancy in the Niger Delta, a similar approach should be adopted to tackle banditry and terrorism in mining areas.

Despite frequent attacks, artisanal miners continue to operate, especially at night. Findings by the Sunday Tribune indicate that in some locations, miners resort to paying off bandits to continue their illegal activities.

A cross-section of licensed miners who spoke with the Sunday Tribune commended the minister for establishing the Mining Marshals—a specialised force drawn largely from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—to combat illegal mining and secure sites. However, they noted that the number of personnel is grossly inadequate.

They recommended stronger collaboration between the federal and state governments, as well as mining communities, to address the situation and ensure that the sector contributes meaningfully to national revenue.