Nasarawa Government Begins profiling of Artisanal Miners

By Chris Nyamtu

Nasarawa State Government has commenced the profiling of all artisanal and small-scale miners to enhance the security of communities within and around the mining sites. Across the state.

The State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources Mr. Kwanta Yakubu gave this indication while addressing a crowd of artisanal miners in the Rafin Gabas Community of Kokona Local Government Area of the state.

The Nasarawa State Government through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources had in 2023 set up an enforcement template with operational guidelines including identifying all mining sites across the state, inspecting, closing down and arresting all mining entities that failed to register with the state government as part of measures to entrench sanity, accountability and checking insecurity.

The initiative has continued to record the closure of a large number of unregistered mining entities across the state including the apprehension of over 109 illegal miners in three local government areas of Karu, Keffi and Kokona in February 2024.

In continuation of the exercise, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources Mr Kwanta Yakubu in the company of security agencies visited Rafin Gabas, a forested and rocky mining settlement about 75 kilometres from Garaku the headquarters of Kokona Local Government Area of the state.

Addressing a large crowd of artisanal miners mostly youths who are engaged in the exploration of various mineral resources at one of the camps in the area, Mr Kwanta Yakubu stated that the state government would continue to provide opportunities for the residents to earn a living through legitimate means.

He urged the miners to report to security agencies any infiltration of the area by suspected criminal elements for prompt action.

Reacting to the recent call by the state House of Assembly on the need for the state government to expedite action and flush out hoodlums from the mining sites across the state, Mr Kwanta Yakubu stressed the need for close collaboration and support from stakeholders rather than blame game.

Meanwhile, three persons including two Chinese nationals were arrested for carrying out mining activities in the area without approval of the state government.