Communities endangered as insecurity, illegal mining threaten Niger’s solid mineral sector
Niger State’s push to develop its solid minerals sector faces a major setback as insecurity keeps legitimate miners away from some mineral-rich areas, while illegal operators are increasingly digging around homes and other residential areas in search of gold. Miners say kidnappings in mining areas have forced companies to suspend exploration and spend millions of […] Communities endangered as…
Niger State's efforts to develop its solid minerals sector face significant challenges as both legitimate and illegal mining operations are threatened by insecurity. Illegal miners are intruding into residential areas in search of gold, causing damage to homes, places of worship, and the environment in Minna. Meanwhile, legitimate miners are being forced to suspend exploration due to kidnappings, with some companies paying ransoms to secure their workers.
The state's efforts to increase revenue from mining and enforce regulations are hindered by the security situation, leaving about 17 out of the state's 25 local government areas unsafe for mining operations.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Post Nigeria's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
