Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has ordered the arrest of three Chinese nationals for allegedly causing health hazards to communities at a mining site in Toro local government area of the state.

Yuguda gave the order on Wednesday during an unscheduled visit to some mining sites in the area.

He also ordered the immediate closure of the three mining sites in the area.

Yuguda said that the affected miners had failed to comply with the mining regulations after they had registered with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals.

He said that the miners violated all that was required of them before embarking on mining activities, stressing that their activities posed serious danger to both human and animals in the area.

The governor said the miners had also failed to pay compensation to the host communities and failed to relocate the host communities before embarking on mining activities in the area.

“I received a report from the state ministry of health that the activities of the firms are casing health hazards to both human and animals in the area. Over 18 communities living in the affected areas had been displaced,” the governor stated.

Yuguda assured the people that government would liaise with traditional and community leaders as well as security agencies to relocate those displaced by the activities of the mining companies.

He said that the miners would be allowed to continue with their mining activities when they fully comply with the mining regulations.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of Solid Minerals, Ahmed Tahir, told the governor that the affected miners had been operating in the area since 2011.

Tahir said that all efforts made by the state government officials to encourage them to follow due process had proved abortive.