The Niger State special task force yesterday arrested 41 alleged illegal miners in Minna, the state capital, after a clash over a plot of mining site.
The fight was over who to mine gold in certain plots at the back of the PDP secretariat in Minna but the timely intervention of security agencies who arrested some of them controlled the situation.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that they were arrested at mining sites and plots meant for residential purposes without the permission of the owners in various parts of Minna.
Those arrested were digging for gold around residential houses and areas not designated in the state’s mining cadastral map.
The commissioner for mineral resources, Alhaji Garba Sabo Yahaya who led the task force team confirmed the arrests to our correspondent in Minna yesterday.
He said the miners, 34 males and seven females, were causing a lot of environmental degradation in the state capital.
He added that the state government was committed to checking illegal mining and urged traditional leaders and landowners to stop selling lands to unauthorised miners.
The commissioner warned that such actions further encourage illegal activities that threaten the community’s well-being.
Alhaji Garba Yahaya called for the continued support of residents in the fight against illegal mining, emphasising that lasting change requires collective action.
“This government is determined to restore order, protect our environment, and ensure that the resources of Niger State benefit all its people,” he said.
He said operations to flush out illegal miners would continue until the state is completely free from the menace.
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