Illegal mining will not be tolerated in Niger -Commissioner

BY OGBE MAXWELL, MINNA

The Commissioner for Mineral Resources in Niger State, Hon Muhammad Qasim Danjuma has stated that government would not condone illegal mining in any part of the state.

He stressed this while speaking during a strategic regulatory inspection tour to Zuzungi mining company site at Katcha Local Government Area of the state on Friday where two foreign nationals were arrested by the security operatives for engaging in unauthorized mining activities

Th commissioner who was deeply worried over the illegal mining activities in the state by foreign nationals said that the involvement of foreigners in illegal mining activities in the state was a thing of worry and concern stressing that such activities carried out by them was a violations of established regulatory frameworks

Hon Danjuma while directing the security operatives to immediately handover the two foreign nationals arrested to the the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation and necessary action in line with existing laws however stressed the need for all operators of mining activities in the state to strictly comply with licensing requirements, approved guidelines and regulatory standards so as to protect the mineral resources from unlawful exploitations

The commissioner said that the strategic regulatory inspection tour by him alongside the permanent secretary of the ministry, Comrade Abdullahi Idris Legbo and Directors to the Zuzungi Mining Company site at Katcha LGA of the state was part of the ministry’s intensified efforts to enforce compliance and uphold environmental regulations.

He said that the state government through the ministry remains committed to safe-guarding the host mining communities, preserve the environment as well as upholding the rule of law which he said remains a top priority of the state mining policy.