Security experts under the platform of the Arewa Patriotic Neighborhood Watch (APNW) have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently move against illegal gold mining activities in Zamfara State and other parts of northern Nigeria, warning that the practice is a major driver of banditry and worsening insecurity in the region.
The experts made the call on Sunday after a one-day security retreat held in Jos, Plateau State. Briefing journalists, the Convener of APNW, Dr. Danlami Shehu, alongside the Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed, said illegal mining operations continue to frustrate the efforts of security agencies battling armed groups across the North.
They urged President Tinubu to revisit various investigative and intelligence reports allegedly linking former Zamfara State Governor and serving Senator, Abdulaziz Yari, and other influential political actors to illegal gold mining activities in the state, noted that implementing recommendations from such reports could significantly improve security.
According to Dr. Shehu, illegal gold mining sites are often protected by armed bandits, creating safe havens that are difficult for security forces to penetrate.
“As long as illegal mining thrives in Zamfara, banditry will continue. Those behind these operations wield enormous influence and rely on armed groups to secure mining sites, making it difficult for security agencies to dismantle criminal networks,” he said.
The group recalled that the Federal Government in April 2019 banned illegal mining in Zamfara State after identifying a “strong and glaring nexus” between illicit mining activities and armed banditry. The then Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had also ordered foreigners to vacate mining sites nationwide as part of broader security operations.
Despite these measures, the experts said illegal mining has persisted, citing reports by national and international organisations, including the Institute for Security Studies, which allegedly identified proceeds from gold mining as a major source of funding for bandit groups.
Dr. Shehu further alleged that some reports have linked Senator Yari to gold smuggling incidents, including a 2021 Ghana gold seizure, and called on the Federal Government to reopen investigations into such claims in the interest of national security.
“Nigerians deserve transparency. Addressing these reports decisively is critical if the government is serious about ending insecurity in the North,” he added.
Speaking separately, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed, a native of Zamfara State, lamented that illegal mining has fueled violence, environmental degradation, health crises, and economic sabotage in the state.
He recalled the 2010 lead poisoning incident in Zamfara, when Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) reported the deaths of hundreds of children in Anka, Bukkuyum, and Maru Local Government Areas due to unsafe mining practices.
Ahmed alleged that political interests have shielded illegal mining operations for years, leaving local communities exposed to bandit attacks and environmental hazards.
The group stressed that decisively ending illegal mining would significantly weaken bandit groups and improve security not only in Zamfara but across the wider North-West and North-Central regions.
As of the time of filing this report, Senator Abdulaziz Yari was not available to respond to the allegations. He has, however, repeatedly denied any involvement in illegal mining or related criminal activities, as previously reported in the media.
