Following bandits’ attack on a mining site in Ajata Aboki Village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi Local Government Areas of the State over continued bandits’ attacks until further notice.
A statement issued by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, indicated that the decision to suspend mining activities by Governor Bello became necessary as a result of escalating insecurity in those areas in recent times.
It is observed that these mining sites now attract or even accommodate criminals with prospective threats to security of lives and property, the statement stressed.
The SSG warned that any mining operator caught engaging in mining activities in the areas mentioned would face the full wrath of the law.
According to Ahmed Matane, “the State Government has directed security agencies in the State to profile all mining sites in the affected Local Governments with a view to ascertaining their genuineness”.
He assured the people of the State that Government would not scale down pressure on the armed bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and other criminal elements until they were flushed out of the state.
Ahmed Matane urged the people of the State to be security conscious and report all suspicious characters, movements, or objects in their communities to security agents.
The suspension is in response to the recent attack on a mining site in the state that led to the death of several people.
The Minig site which came under attack by Terrorists leading to the death of miners also claimed several members of the Police and Armed Forces with many reports giving a figure as high as 30, though this has not been confirmed by any official source.
This is part of the Security challenges being faced by residents in Niger State which includes Banditry, Terrorism from Ansaru and Boko Haram Militants, Kidnapping and Cattle Rustling.
