Banditry: Miners not paying terrorists for our protection, says community leaders

Community leaders in Kurebe, in Shiroro local council of Niger State has distanced themselves from an online news publication that alleged mining companies operating in the area paid bandits certain amount of money for protection.

In a joint interview granted to newsmen  in Minna by Haruna Salihu Kurebe, a community leader and Jamilu Abubakar, APC secretary, Shiroro local council, the two leaders explained that they were not aware of any negotiations entered into by the mining companies operating in their area with bandits terrorizing the community.

They said the report was fake, malicious, injurious to their community and an attempt to discredit and blackmail the mining companies that have been providing interventions and relief to grief stricken indigenes in the area.

“According to them,we read the malicious story and we are astounded by the sheer blackmail contained in it. The mining companies operating in our area have provided sources of income and livelihoods to our youths. Anyone who says the companies aided banditry is lying “.

Haruna Salihu Kurebe disclosed that the companies, before operating in their area provided all the necessary documents obtained from relevant authorities that permitted them to mine in the area.

Salihu noted that the entire community and the traditional institution were aware of their presence and there has been mutual benefits, especially in the areas of youth employment which has helped in engaging them in productive venture.

From his part,the local government APC Secretary and youth leader in the area maintained that youths in the area have been helping the companies in the areas of security and maintaining social harmony.

According to him “because they have been helping us in this difficult situation, we ensure that their equipments and operation are safe. Many of our youths are engaged in mining. We have no problem with anybody”, he said.

The Kurebe community leaders said it was fictitious and impossible to believe that the mining companies operating in their area were providing money to bandits group and posed “to what cause and to what benefits. There are dozens of security formations at every single inch in our area, this security people would have known and intercepted any form of dealings with bandits”, he emphasized.