Acting Governor Yakubu Garba of Niger State has announced the suspension of all mining operations, effective immediately, to address security concerns and revenue losses.
Speaking at the Government House in Minna, Garba outlined that mining companies must now approach the State Ministry of Mineral Resources for profiling before resuming operations.
This new requirement is aimed at enhancing the state's ability to monitor mining activities, enforce compliance with regulations, and prevent illegal mining practices.
The profiling process is expected to improve security and boost revenue collection in the state.
The acting governor also inaugurated a task force to tackle illegal mining across the state.
The task force, comprising representatives from relevant government agencies, security agencies, and community leaders, was mandated to, among other responsibilities, identify illegal miners, eradicate child labor in mining sites, and verify the type of mineral title belonging to each of the license holders in the state.
According to data from the mining cadastre office, a total of 578 mineral titles have been issued to operators in Niger State, out of which 369, representing 81.46 percent were granted on gold alone.
Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi local government areas house the largest deposit of gold in the state but are the epicenter for banditry activities.