The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Gusau (FUGUS), Professor Mu’azu Abubakar, has attributed the rising wave of banditry in Zamfara State to legal and illegal mining activities.

He alleged that some influential individuals were using bandits to chase locals away from mining areas to gain control of gold deposits.

Speaking during an interactive session with stakeholders in Gusau, the state capital, Professor Abubakar noted that while citizens are frequently attacked, miners and mining companies continue to operate unchallenged, suggesting collusion between some actors and criminal elements.

He said Zamfara’s vast gold and mineral deposits have attracted thousands of miners, both legal and illegal, heightening the risk of lead poisoning across the state.

“Due to the gold rush, many people have abandoned their legitimate livelihoods for illegal mining, which is dangerous to their health. Farming activities have been severely affected, cotton is no longer supplied to ginneries, and most textile industries in the state have shut down. Many ginneries have been converted to gold processing sites,” he lamented.

The Vice Chancellor also raised concerns about the growing number of children abandoning school to engage in mining, warning that the state could soon be declared a danger zone for lead poisoning.
“Between 2011 and 2015, over 23,000 children were affected by lead poisoning, and many of them died,” he stated.

Professor Abubakar said that despite past mining bans, more than 10,000 artisanal miners and licensed companies are still operating in Zamfara, compounding both environmental and security challenges.
He urged authorities to urgently address the twin threats of banditry and lead poisoning before the situation worsens further.