He explained that the miners involved in illegal activities were not only artisanal miners but also people operating in areas where mining was not permitted.
“However, the people we are talking about are not just artisanal miners, but they are artisanal and operating in illegal spaces.
“These spaces are not allowed for them to do. Probably, somebody, you know, Niger State is endowed, we have alluvial gold everywhere. When it rains heavily, you can pick gold on the street, that is given.
“So these people will find a place where you have a huge quantity of this alluvial deposit, and they will try to start mining. And this is why they are illegal because they are not registered by law. They are not registered with the association. They don’t even have a directory. There’s no database to ascertain who, who, and who.”
His comments came amid concerns over illegal mining activities in Niger State following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody, with renewed questions about the regulation of mining sites, the identification of operators and the responsibilities of relevant authorities.
