Residents of the Western Bypass area near El-Amin University in Minna, Niger State, were thrown into panic in the early hours of Thursday following a violent clash between suspected groups of illegal miners operating behind the PDP Secretariat.
The chaos, which erupted around dawn, triggered an immediate response from the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources. Upon arrival, a team of security operatives discovered that the suspected hoodlums had fled the scene.
However, several illegal miners were apprehended during the operation and will be charged to court following due legal process.
The enforcement operation was led by the Honourable Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Alhaji Garba S. Yahaya.
He was accompanied by senior directors from the ministry and a joint security task force comprising personnel from the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Speaking after the operation, Alhaji Garba Yahaya condemned the illegal activities and reaffirmed the government’s zero-tolerance stance against illegal mining.
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He described the escalating incidents as a serious threat to public peace, environmental sustainability, and lawful economic development in the state.
The commissioner reiterated the directive of the Executive Governor of Niger State, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago, which mandates all illegal miners to vacate the state with immediate effect.
He also expressed appreciation to the Commissioner of Police, the NSCDC State Commandant, the Brigade Commander of the Nigerian Army, and other security stakeholders for their swift and coordinated response.
He emphasized that the ministry will continue working closely with security agencies to ensure the protection of lives, property, and mineral resources in the state.
The ministry further highlighted growing concerns over environmental damage caused by unregulated mining, including the destruction of drainage channels, encroachment on burial grounds behind the M. I. Wushishi Estate, collapse of residents’ perimeter fences, and the blocking of culverts connecting communities—creating risks of flooding.
The Ministry of Mineral Resources, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, reaffirmed its commitment to restoring order and safeguarding communities across Niger State from the destructive effects of illegal mining.
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