Zamfara, Plateau miners oppose work suspension

Miners

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Miners in Zamfara and Plateau states have warned that the push by the Northern Governors’ Forum to suspend mining activities across the region for six months will worsen insecurity and cripple livelihoods.

The NGF and traditional rulers on Monday called for a six-month suspension of mining activities in the North, blaming illegal mining for the worsening insecurity in the region. The governors stated that criminal mining networks were fueling violence and providing resources for armed groups.

As a measure, they asked President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to suspend mining activities to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licenses. The ban, which is expected to run for six months, covers all forms of mining—artisanal and licensed operations—pending an improved security situation and a major security overhaul.

But speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the Chairman of the Zamfara State Miners and Sellers Association, Ahmed Lawal, said over one million youths relied on mining activities for survival in the northern part of the country, cautioning that halting their activities could push many into crime.

Lawal said the move would aggravate insecurity rather than curb it.

“Mining has now become the only way millions of unemployed youths get money in Nigeria. Banning mining activities will only worsen the insecurity challenges affecting the entire nation. These youths are used to getting huge amounts of money through mining, and stopping them now is only inviting insecurity,” he said.

Lawal explained that the December proposal by northern governors overlooked the reality that illegal mining thrives in remote forests beyond the reach of security agencies.

“The Federal Government does not have the capacity to stop mining because the security personnel who will enforce the law cannot penetrate the forests where mining takes place,” he added.

Lawal urged the governors to rethink the suspension and to establish a regulatory agency that would help the government generate revenue and support jobless Nigerians.

In Plateau State, where mining is a key part of the economy, miners expressed anxiety over the potential losses if the six-month suspension is implemented. The state had earlier halted mining due to insecurity but later approved 159 operators to resume activities in May 2025.

The Secretary of the Plateau Indigenous Miners Association, Pam Daniel, said suspending mining again would devastate the livelihoods of thousands.

“Mining is very expensive. Suspending operations will amount to killing these businesses unjustly,” he said.

Another miner, Christopher John, warned that local communities dependent on mining would suffer.

He added, “We urge the government to consider alternative solutions that address security concerns without harming the economy.”

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State Government and mining stakeholders supported the proposed suspension, even though the state remains largely peaceful.

The Commissioner of Commerce, Trade, Mining and Industry, Aminu Babura, said the state supported the move for the sake of regional peace.

“We back efforts for holistic peace and urge timely reassessment so economic activities resume promptly in safe areas like Jigawa,” he said.

The Chairman of the Jigawa State Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mukhtar Birniwa, also expressed support for the suspension while calling for a swift reopening once security improves.

Some local miners, however, urged authorities to ensure the suspension does not last longer than necessary.

“Security is paramount, so I support the suspension despite Jigawa’s calm,” a miner, Abdullahi Sa’idu, said.

Experts, however, have argued that suspending mining will not stop banditry in the North.

A mining expert in Kwara State, Ndaji Kakanfu, faulted the proposed suspension, saying that lawful mining companies are not responsible for banditry.

Kakanfu, the Chief Executive Officer of Kakanfu Exploration Mining Service Limited, said licensed operators are heavily regulated and monitored. He insisted that illegal mining fuels insecurity and warned that stopping licensed operators while illegal miners remain active would worsen the problem.

“Stopping legal mining will not solve insecurity. Our operations are documented, and the government has our data and staff information. If you stop licensed miners and the illegal miners have not stopped, then we will still come back to the same circle,” he stated.

Also, a security expert, Nurudeen Adetula, said illegal operators working with armed groups have infiltrated the sector.

“There have been a series of reports linking banditry to illegal mining,” he said. He called for stronger enforcement, technology-driven monitoring, and global intelligence sharing to curb the illegal mineral trade.

However, another analyst, Musa Mohammed, backed the proposed suspension, saying it could give security agencies access to territories dominated by criminal gangs.

“The suspension will give the military authority to go into ungoverned spaces and take decisive action,” he said.

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