The Niger State Governor, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State over continued bandits’ attacks.
The suspension will be until further notice.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, on Monday.
Matane noted that it has been observed that these mining sites now attract or even accommodate criminals with prospective threats to the security of lives and property.
He warned that any mining operator caught engaging in mining activities in the areas mentioned would face the full wrath of the law.
According to him, “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 that government will not scale down pressure on the armed bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers, and other criminal elements until they were flushed out of the state.
Residents of the state have therefore been urged to be security conscious and report all suspicious characters, movements, or objects in their communities to security agents.
