PLATEAU State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has suspended all mining activities in the state over security concerns.
In an executive order dated Friday, February 21, Mutfwang said the suspension, which is with immediate effect, would subsist until further notice.
“I, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Muftwang, the Executive Governor and Chief Security Officer of Plateau State, deemed it necessary to suspend all mining activities in Plateau State for security reasons.” he said.
Mutfwang said that the decision was prompted by the rise in illegal mining activities and the associated security threats across various local government areas in the state.
He added that his administration would carry out a holistic review of the security situation in all the mining areas in the state and ensure an appropriate community development agreement is in place to address the socio-economic contributions of the mining rights holders.
“There is an increased influx of foreigners in the mining areas of Plateau State, which significantly increased insecurity in the state, including but not limited to offences of rape, banditry, illegal possession of firearms, drug trafficking and kidnapping.”
The governor pledged that his administration would work with the Federal Government to establish appropriate standards and monitoring framework involving the state, local government areas, host communities, and mineral rights holders.
The ICIR reported in November 2024 that a deadly mining accident claimed the lives of 13 miners in the state, following the collapse of an artisanal mining site.
This tragedy highlighted the dangers within Nigeria’s largely unregulated mining sector, where miners often work without proper safety protocols in place.
The ICIR reported that despite casualties from unregulated mining collapses and repeated warnings by the government and security agencies, more young people are driven into illegal mining due to poverty, unemployment, and inadequate oversight by regulatory bodies.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues.