Niger suspends mining activities

The Niger State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of all mining activities in Paikoro and Shiroro local government areas of the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, said the breakdown of security and environmental degradation necessitated the suspension.

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He said the environmental degradation and insecurity caused by the activities of illegal miners in the areas had reached an alarming stage, requiring urgent attention to bring back sanity in the affected local governments.

He said, “Protecting the sanctity of life and property of the people of the state is irrevocable; therefore government will not scale-down the pressure on the armed bandits, kidnappers, cattle rustlers as well as illegal miners until they are totally flushed-out of the state.

“May I appeal for the cooperation of the Nigerian Miners Association in the state, local communities, especially the traditional and religious leaders within the affected areas to cooperate with the security agencies with a view to ridding the state of criminal elements”, Matane said in a statement yesterday.