A group of Nigerian security experts has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent steps to curb illegal mining activities in Zamfara State and other parts of northern Nigeria, describing the practice as a major contributor to insecurity and banditry in the region.

Members of the Arewa Patriotic Neighbourhood Watch (APNW) during a media briefing after a one-day security retreat held in Jos, Plateau State, particularly referred to various investigative reports indicating that highly placed individuals in the state warrant review by the authorities.

APNW Convener, Dr. Danlami Shehu, said illegal mining has continued to frustrate security efforts aimed at ending banditry, noting that the illicit activity provides a steady source of funding for armed groups.

According to him, bandits often protect illegal mining sites, making it difficult for security agencies to access such areas and dismantle criminal networks.

“Illegal gold mining has been repeatedly identified as a major factor fueling insecurity in Zamfara and parts of the North-West. As long as these activities continue unchecked, banditry will remain resilient,” Shehu said.

He recalled that in April 2019, the Federal Government imposed a ban on mining activities in Zamfara State after authorities identified a strong link between illegal mining and armed violence. He also referenced past security operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating around mining locations, adding that enforcement gaps have allowed the practice to persist.

Shehu further noted that reports by local and international research institutions have consistently linked proceeds from illegal mining to the acquisition of arms by criminal groups, thereby escalating violence in affected communities.

On his part, APNW Assistant Secretary Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed, from Zamfara State, lamented the socio-economic and environmental impacts of illegal mining on local communities.

He said unregulated mining has not only contributed to insecurity but has also caused severe environmental degradation, public health crises and economic losses to the state and the country.

Ahmed recalled the 2010 lead poisoning crisis in parts of Zamfara, which claimed hundreds of lives, mostly children, and was traced to unsafe artisanal mining practices.

“Our communities are still bearing the consequences of years of illegal mining—ranging from health challenges to loss of livelihoods. This is why decisive government action is needed,” he said.

The group called on the Tinubu administration to strengthen enforcement of mining regulations, enhance intelligence-led operations around mining sites, and ensure greater collaboration between security agencies and host communities.

They expressed confidence that a renewed focus on curbing illegal mining would significantly reduce banditry and restore peace in Zamfara State and the wider North-West region.