FG stops mining activities in Zamfara as bandits escalate killings

…Threatens to revoke defaulters’ license

…Orders foreigners in mining fields to close within 24hrs

Mathew Dadiya

Concerned by the unabated killings in Zamfara state and environs by bandits, the federal government has suspended all mining activities in the state.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, told State House correspondents on Sunday after an emergency meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

IGP Adamu said that the action was taken because the authorities could establish a nexus between the activities of the illegal miners and bandits.

According to him, in the face of intelligence reports that has clearly established a strong and glaring nexus between the activities of armed bandits and illicit miners -with both mutually re-enforcing each other, the federal government has suspended all mining activities in Zamfara state.

“Mining activities in Zamfara and other affected states are hereby suspended with immediate effect.

Consequently, any mining operator who engages in mining activities in the affected locations henceforth, will have his licence revoked.

“All foreigners operating in the mining fields should close and leave within 48 hours.

We want to assure the general public, especially in the affected areas that the security services are doing their best to address the situation,” he stated.

The federal government therefore, appealed for the cooperation of the local communities, especially the traditional and religious leaders within the community.

The police chief also expressed worry over the use of social media to spread fake news, falsehood and deliberate misinformation.

However, the government urged all citizens to exercise restraint in circulating unconfirmed information capable of doing more damage to the country, adding that “let us not allow the social media to hijack our sense of judgment and capture our minds negatively,” he said.

He added that the police, military and Department of State Services (DSS) have resolved to intensify joint operations against the bandits by initiating “Operation Puff-Adder.

“As part of sustained efforts to flush out and permanently put an end to armed banditry and criminality in Zamfara state in particular and the North West in general, the police in collaboration with the military and other security services has commenced “Operation Puff- Adder” which is a full scale security offensive against the bandits.

“The operation is aimed at reclaiming every public space under the control of the bandits, arrest and bring to book all perpetrators of violence in the area and their collaborators, achieve a total destruction of all criminal camps and hideouts, mop up all illicit weapons fueling the violence and attain a full restoration of law and order in the affected communities.

“Our commitment at protecting the sanctity of life and property is irrevocable, and we will not scale-down the pressure on the armed bandits until they are totally flushed-out,” the inspector-general added.