By Umoh Umoh, AfriCast
On the morning of September 2, 2024, there was an attack on residents of the over 500 housing units at the M.I Wushishi Housing Estate in Minna, Niger state, leading to the reported death of one person and destruction of properties. Emerging reports about the attack varied, with some media houses tagging the attackers as bandits while others described them as suspected illegal miners or hoodlums.
Subsequently, the Nigeria Police Force, Minna State Command released a statement describing the attack as the outcome of resistance by residents of the estate to illegal miners, noting that normalcy and calm had been restored. Investigations by AfriCast to establish the facts of the case have now revealed that the community remains at risk and illegal mining continues unchecked.
Miners Rush For Gold Puts M.I Wushishi Residents At Risk
Mining of minerals in Nigeria accounts for only 0.3% of its gross domestic product but the industry has gained significant media attention in recent years owing to an increase in illegal mining activities across the country and their connection to national security concerns.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals, Jonathan Gbefwi, had in July 2024, disclosed that illegal mining activities in Nigeria are costing the country about $9bn annually, with only 3 per cent royalty paid into government coffers by the few miners licensed to operate legally across the country. For many communities where these mining activities take place, this has led to destruction of livelihood and properties, with a rise in armed conflict, banditry, crime, widespread violence and kidnapping.
M I Wushishi is located in a part of Niger state said to be richly blessed with solid mineral deposits, especially gold, making it attractive to illegal mining businesses, and the neighbourhood has since become highly volatile and vulnerable to violent crimes. Residents who spoke to AfriCast confirmed that indeed, the recent attack on the estate was perpetuated by illegal miners who were aggrieved because the community had reported them to the police. The chief security officer of the estate, Mr Yahaya Abdulkabir said he was badly hit during the attack and has now been forced to relocate his family. “They singled out my house in particular for the attack because they know I am one person that usually comes out to pursue them from the estate. As I am speaking with you, my family is not safe,” he said.
“They all know my house since it is just at the bank of this small river they mine from. As the man in charge of security in this estate, I am not allowing them rest and anytime I go out to work, I can’t concentrate because my wife and children are home, since they still find their way into the estate to mine,” Yahaya added.
Like several other residents, he has since relocated his family to another location but those who remain mourn the incurred expenses from the attack and nurse fears that another attack is imminent.
Dr. Sani Ibrahim, a resident, explained that the attack was timed to coincide with when most people would have gone to work. “These boys came into this estate after we reported them to the police because of the damage they are causing to our homes. They decided to come after all the able men had gone out to their normal businesses,” he said. Meanwhile a resident who pleaded anonymity said the community was concerned about subsequent attacks. “I know of many people who have moved out of this estate after the attack because they feel these boys might likely come back for another attack. This is how banditry started. Most of these boys are from Zamfara and Sokoto states. The government has to come to our aid,” they noted.
Illegal Exploration Breeds Insecurity, Explain Stakeholders
Nigeria’s mineral sector is regulated by the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 (“the Act”). The Act repealed the Minerals and Mining Act, No. 34 of 1999 and vests control and ownership of all properties and minerals in, under or upon any land in Nigeria in the Federal Government. It further prohibits the exploration or exploitation of minerals without the grant of requisite permit. Earlier this year, the Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS), had expressed security concerns, while accusing the government of not being interested in stopping illegal mining . NMGS President, Prof. Shedrack Olatunji who spoke at the society’s 255th Council Meeting of Nigerian Mining and Geoscience Society (NMGS) said the lack of qualified, well-funded, and well regulated personnel saddled with the responsibility of monitoring mining activities was evident that government was paying lip service to the idea of stopping illegal mining. He further advocated for the involvement of the private sector like NMGS to carry out oversight functions in collaboration with the Inspectorate unit in the mines office.
Security consultant agrees while noting that attacks on communities by illegal miners are often carried out with the backing of authorities including the police, politicians and public officials , further noting that this would explain why there had been no arrest since the attack on Wushishi.
Miracle Ebube, a security expert in Abuja with Sapphire Security Consultants asserts that no crime of such magnitude can go on unabated without the backing of top figures in the society. He alleged that security personnel and top politicians are often accomplices in such practices. Ebube drew attention to the insecurity in the south east and also in the northern region, stating that most of those perpetrating these crimes are members of the society, well known by all.
He noted that when “bigger unknown forces are the ones backing a crime, even the security agents have little or no power to make arrests, reasons it is difficult for the security agents to step in. I go to Niger state regularly and I see and know what is happening.”
Residents of the community agree with him. They alleged that these illegal miners have the backing of registered recognised miners who use them to mine without ascertaining how the gold is obtained. Niger state government has granted mining rights to some registered companies to carry out legal mining activities within the state but according to Bello Musa, a resident in the estate, “these companies do not follow the standard procedures of mining. They are not even on the mining site. All they do is that there are some makeshift shanties with write-ups like ‘washer,’ opposite Wushishi estate to the other side of the road, that is where representatives of these companies stay. Once those illegal miners get those stones, they take them to locations like that and are paid off, while the stones are taken to the company for processing. How the gold is gotten, if lives were lost or properties destroyed during the process of digging is not their business.
Shortly after the incident, the honourable chairman of Chanchaga local government council, Rt. Hon. Aminu Yakubu Ladan paid a courtesy visit to condole with victims of the attack, promising that security will be provided for the estate.
Police Intervenes Briefly But Illegal Activities Go Unchecked
Residents of the community confirmed to AfriCast that the security, which was provided by the Nigerian Police, were only stationed at the gate for two weeks, after which they withdrew. Even with the police at the gate, the illegal miners were reported to use some alternative tracks to their mining site. The estate’s CSO, Yahaya also pointed fingers at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDELA for being unresponsive despite efforts from the residents to inform them of the proliferation of hard drugs into the community by the illegal miners.
According to Yahaya Illiya, “the estate’s association had petitioned the NDLEA on the activities of the illegal miners, stating that hard drugs are being sold in the camp of these miners, which is just a stone throw from the estate’s fence, but we are yet to get any response in form of raiding the camp or a written reply,” and this makes these guys hardened.”
Commenting on the unresponsiveness of NDLEA, Assistant Superintendent of Narcotics in Abuja, ASN Adebayor Adebisi said that “the agency does not go around drumming its accomplishment.” Adebisi drew attention to the fact that in May 2023, NDLEA intercepted explosives that were intended for bandit camps in Niger state.
He stated that “since this has to do with classified information, I cannot speak much about what the agency is doing or intending to do to curb illegal drug abuse in Niger state”, but assured that residents of the state should be patient, as the war on illegal substance abuse is not a day’s job.
When contacted on the developments since the attack and the promised security. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun said that some security men were assigned to patrol the axis regularly, and normalcy has been restored to the area but the police are continuing their investigation to identify and apprehend those involved.
In allegations to concerns that the investigation appears to be dragging and no arrested individual has been prosecuted, the police said “arrests are made regularly either by us or the estate’s security but most times, members of the estate don’t show up to press charges. As a civil institution that is bound by rules of engagement, an individual cannot stay beyond 24 hours in custody without trial.”
The police further said that fear of reprisal or isolated personal attack might be one factor residents do not show up, so that their faces will not be marked
This report is produced with support from Civic Media Lab (CML).
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