Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has said the state is endowed with alluvial gold deposits, noting that gold could be found on the streets after heavy rainfall in some areas.
Bago made the remark while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics about the activities of illegal miners in the state and the challenges of regulating mining operations.
The governor said the state government had no comprehensive database of illegal miners, while licensed operators would be profiled to determine those involved in mining activities and help maintain security across the state.
“For illegal mining, there’s no database. So these people who are licensed would come forward for profiling because we want to know who is mining in Niger State, and that is because we need to maintain the security of our land,” Bago said.
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He explained that the miners involved in illegal activities were not only artisanal miners but also people operating in areas where mining was not permitted.
“However, the people we are talking about are not just artisanal miners, but they are artisanal and operating in illegal spaces.
“These spaces are not allowed for them to do. Probably, somebody, you know, Niger State is endowed, we have alluvial gold everywhere. When it rains heavily, you can pick gold on the street, that is given.
“So these people will find a place where you have a huge quantity of this alluvial deposit, and they will try to start mining. And this is why they are illegal because they are not registered by law. They are not registered with the association. They don’t even have a directory. There’s no database to ascertain who, who, and who.”
His comments came amid concerns over illegal mining activities in Niger State following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody, with renewed questions about the regulation of mining sites, the identification of operators and the responsibilities of relevant authorities.
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