The Federal Government has directed all illegal miners operating in Zamfara State to immediately leave the area. This action comes in response to an outbreak of lead poisoning in the Bugundu Local Government Area, which officials believe was caused by unregulated mining activities.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, gave the warning during a statement on Tuesday, stressing that mining operations across Zamfara remain on hold. He said the suspension will continue until new standard operating procedures (SOPs) are released to guide safe and lawful mining in the region.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Segun Tomori, Dr. Alake noted that the ongoing mining ban in the state has been in place for more than six years. Therefore, he said, the recent cases of lead poisoning indicate that illegal mining is still happening despite the restrictions.
Dr. Alake pointed out that this situation reveals a failure on the part of some local and traditional leaders. According to him, these authorities should be upholding government regulations but appear to have allowed mining operations to continue without oversight.
“Every citizen should obey the laws and regulations established by constituted authorities. Our revered traditional institutions and local authorities, which are funded from the federation accounts, have an even higher responsibility to enforce government directives. However, where they demonstrate willful negligence and abdicate their responsibilities, they perpetrate a state of anomie with dire consequences, as we are witnessing in this case.”
The minister further said that teams of experts are assessing the situation, and their findings will shape future policies to prevent similar disasters.
He praised the Zamfara State government for sending emergency teams to affected communities and called for closer cooperation between federal and state authorities to tackle the issue of illegal mining.
“We must work together to kick out illegal miners from all corners to protect the lives of innocent citizens endangered by the desperation of a few individuals to make money at all costs,” Alake said.
To rebuild trust in the sector, Dr. Alake announced that the Ministry is preparing to publish new standard procedures. These guidelines will cover everything from how existing mining license holders can resume activities to how new applications will be handled. They will also include rules for community development agreements and environmental recovery efforts.
In addition, he said satellite monitoring systems recently approved by the government will help detect and stop illegal mining in real time.
It should be recalled that in December 2024, the government lifted a five-year ban on mining in Zamfara. This decision followed a noticeable improvement in security across the state. Following the lift, a committee was formed to develop proper procedures for responsible mining, which are now in the final stages of preparation.
