Kebbi Governor Suspends Artisanal Mining Activities In Marrarabar Yauri, Says Drastic Measures ‘Necessary’
Kebbi State governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, the Kauran Gwandu, has expressed his commitment to sanitizing mining activities across the state while also emphasizing the need for young people in the state to be actively and meaningfully engaged in artisanal mining activities.
A statement made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media ,Mr Yahaya Sarki noted that he said this during his visit to the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Zayyanu Abdullahi at his palace on Thursday.
The governor said the state government won’t fold its arms and look the other way while the citizens are treated like slaves in their own land noting that it is the Almighty Allah who has endowed the people with gold and other solid minerals .
‘This visit was necessitated by the recent altercations at the Marrarabar Yauri mining site in Ngaski LGA under the PAGMI Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiatives.
The fracas led to the unfortunate death of one person and the destruction of public property and properties belonging to residents of the state.
We have however swiftly intervened and duly restored peace and we will not allow acts of impunity by anybody, mostly by foreigners’ he said.
The governor lamented that mining activities are linked to insecurity, warning that ‘we won’t tolerate the infiltration of people from Mali, Niger and even Tanzania’.
‘These are people from neighbouring West African countries and others from East Africa who are conducting these activities.
Some of them are here hugely exploring and exploiting our God-given resources while they are intimidating the communities who rightly own these abundant resources’ he added.
Dr Nasir Idris, who directed the immediate suspension of all activities at the site, said the action will help to restore sanity.
According to him, the suspension would not be lifted until when all the artisanal miners are properly profiled and duly registered adding that that such an exercise would be conducted across all the mining sites in the state.
‘ This is to ensure that we know the people to hold responsible if there are any problems.
Our youths and their communities must also be fully engaged and made to get involved in such mining activities’ he said .
At the Yauri monarch’s palace, Dr. Nasir Idris paid respect to the highly revered Emir, who, he noted, was instrumental in his emergence as a governor and the success of his administration.
The governor described the Emir as a father figure to all, calling him a veteran educator .
‘We acknowledge your sustained fervent prayers, cooperation and support for me and my government.
We will continue to be loyal and show utmost respect to you and the Yauri Emirate’ Dr Idris added.
Responding, the monarch lauded Dr Idris for the timely and very important visit, saying that it would further bolster peace and across the state, especially at the affected mining site.
Dr Abdullahi also commended the governor for his sustained efforts to take the state to greater heights and improve the living standards of the people of his Emirate and the state in general.
The Emir welcomed the suspension of mining activities at the site by the governor, underscoring the need to respect law and order.
Dr Abdullahi lamented that most of the Artisanal miners causing trouble in the area are largely unlicenced, adding, ‘they have however become powerful, armed and lawless’.
‘They are also being backed by some security agencies and some politicians,hence their impunity is unbecoming and they must be checked’ he added.
During the visit , Hon. Bello Abubakar Kaoje, who represents Suru/Bagudo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was honoured with the traditional title of ‘ARDON YAURI’ by the Emir of Yauri- -Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you
