Niger govt cracks down on illegal mining sites in Minna

The Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources, on Tuesday embarked on a comprehensive monitoring and inspection exercise targeting illegal mining sites within the Minna metropolis, particularly in the Chanchaga community.

The inspection team, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Alhaji Garba Sabo Yahaya, was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary and Directors from the ministry and visited several key areas.

A statement issued by the Information Officer of the Ministry, Maureen Dibie, and made available to journalists on Wednesday in Minna, said, among other things, that the first location visited for inspection was Tungan Goro, under the bridge by the riverbank, behind the Army Barracks. At the site, the team discovered mining pits with underage children and women actively engaging in illegal mining activities, describing it as clear evidence of unregulated operations endangering lives and the environment, adding that the illegal miners were dispersed accordingly.

The statement further stated that the team then proceeded to the Chanchaga area, behind the Chanchaga Police Division near the main bridge, emphasizing that there was evidence of ongoing illegal mining activity, even though the miners had hurriedly disappeared before the team arrived.

It stressed that the overburden excavated by a construction company handling the road project was being packed by underage local miners, as explained by the project supervisor, identified as Mr. Li, a Chinese national.

The statement noted that the said “Mr. Li, the project supervisor, expressed concern over the continuous invasion of the site by illegal miners, despite repeated efforts to disperse them.”

She, however, quoted the Chairman of Butchers of Chanchaga and a resident of the community, Mallam Garba, saying “that the illegal miners—mostly women and children who were children of the area always come to the site between 5–6 p.m. and even at midnight.”

“Garba added that he often seized their mining tools but did not know the appropriate authority to report their activities to, as police will always release them the following day,” said Maureen Dibie.

According to her, following the environmental and community impact, another site visited was Anguwan KwaKwa – Chanchaga, where Climax Mining Company had reportedly purchased the land behind the Military Barracks and formed three cooperatives of members each, working for him. She noted that other children were mining on their own by digging river sediments and panning for gold.

She pointed out that the mining along the riverbank has caused serious land degradation and collapse of buildings, forcing some residents to sell their lands or abandon their homes for safety.

The statement further narrated that the inspection was concluded beside the Federal Government College near the old bridge, where the Niger State Water Board’s large-diameter water pipe supplying water to Minna town is laid, noting that the miners had disappeared before the team’s arrival.

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The statement, however, stated that women engaged in sand dredging were present, and it also stressed that it contributes to the overflow of the river, thereby causing ecological damage to the water board pipes.

Meanwhile, speaking during the exercise, the Honourable Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Alhaji Garba Yahaya, “warned all illegal miners to immediately cease operations within Minna and its surroundings.”

He emphasized that the State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has given a marching order to the Ministry to clamp down on all forms of illegal mining within the city, saying that “anybody caught will face prosecution in a Court, to serve as deterrent to others.”

He then urged community members, especially youths and village/district heads, including the ward heads, to cooperate with the government by promptly reporting unauthorized mining to his ministry for immediate action.

He also mentioned that Zuma Minerals Development Company has available sites to engage artisanal miners legally.

Alhaji Garba Yahaya assured members of the public that the Ministry is prepared to support genuine miners in acquiring the necessary mineral titles to mine responsibly, within the confines of the law.

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