Illegal mining has gone beyond regulatory infractions to become a significant source of criminal activity and insecurity in Niger State, the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Muhammed Qasim Danjuma, has said.
Danjuma made the disclosure during a visit to the Niger State Police Command headquarters in Minna, where he cautioned that unregulated mineral extraction had evolved from being merely an economic or environmental concern into a serious security challenge.
According to the commissioner, illegal mining operations are increasingly being used as a front for criminal activities, thereby fuelling violence, environmental damage and instability in communities where such activities take place.
“Our vision is a Niger State where mineral resources contribute to prosperity, not criminality,” Danjuma told the police leadership, noting that illicit mining poses a direct threat to public safety and sustainable development.
He called for the reactivation of the state’s illegal mining task force, describing it as a crucial step towards addressing the security risks associated with unregulated mining.
Danjuma added that illegal mining now serves as a haven for criminal elements, resulting in environmental degradation, revenue losses and growing insecurity in host communities across the state.
