Police apprehend 21 illegal miners in Zamfara

The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested 21 suspected illegal miners in Zurmi and Maradun Local Government Areas of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Sunday.

He said the arrests were made on Saturday during a joint operation carried out by officers of the Anti-Illegal Mining Unit, Tactical Unit and the Bomb Disposal Unit of the command.

Abubakar explained that the operation also involved personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as officials of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Gusau Area Office.

He said, “On January 31, 2026, at about 1400 hours, a joint operation comprising officers of the Anti-Illegal Mining Unit, Tactical Unit, and Bomb Disposal Unit of the Zamfara State Police Command, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Area Office Gusau, was conducted to dislodge groups of illegal miners.

“The operation targeted locations at Boko Village, Zurmi Local Government Area, and Kaya Village, Maradun Local Government Area, where illegal mining activities had been persistently reported.

“The raid was successfully executed, leading to the arrest of 21 suspected illegal miners. The suspects are currently under investigation at the Task Force on Illegal Mining Unit. Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

Very Nigerian reports that over 30,000 illegal miners and some registered mining companies are reportedly mining gold in the state, with billions of naira allegedly lost daily by the Federal Government due to the nonchalant attitude of relevant authorities in regulating mining activities and remitting revenue to the federation.

Similarly, thousands of bandits are said to be occupying gold mining sites in the state, a situation that has further aggravated insecurity. Thousands of communities are currently deserted by their inhabitants as bandits frequently chase residents away from areas where gold is found.

Local government areas worst hit by the menace include Maru, Anka, Tsafe, Bukkuyum, Zurmi, Bungudu, Talata-Mafara and Shinkafi, due to the abundance of mineral resources in the areas.

Both the Federal and State governments have, on several occasions, banned mining activities in the state, but the situation has defied solution as illegal miners and bandits continue to troop into the state en masse in search of precious minerals.

Recently, the Federal Government lifted the over five-year ban on mining in the state, with the aim of reviving economic activities in the region.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said the decision to lift the ban was due to an improvement in the security situation in the region.

According to a statement by his media aide, Segun Tomori, the move followed a security assessment by President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.

Alake highlighted the economic potential of Zamfara’s gold, lithium and copper deposits, emphasising that “the decision will boost regulated mining, improve intelligence gathering, and curb illegal activities to ensure the nation benefits from the state’s resources.”

However, as of the time of filing this report, illegal miners, in collaboration with bandits, were still reportedly in control of most mining sites, while residents continue to be killed and kidnapped on a daily basis.

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