The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested 21 suspected illegal miners during coordinated operations in Zurmi and Maradun Local Government Areas of the state.
Police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the arrests followed a joint raid carried out on Saturday by officers of the Command’s Anti-Illegal Mining Unit, Tactical Unit, and Bomb Disposal Unit.
The operation was conducted in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and officials from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development, Gusau Area Office.
According to Abubakar, the team targeted Boko Village in Zurmi LGA and Kaya Village in Maradun LGA, where reports of persistent illegal mining activities had been received.
“The raid was successfully executed, leading to the arrest of 21 suspected illegal miners.
“The suspects are currently under investigation at the Task Force on Illegal Mining Unit,” he said, adding that further updates would be communicated as investigations progress.
Zamfara has long struggled with widespread illegal mining, particularly for gold, with authorities estimating that billions of naira in revenue are lost daily due to unregulated activities.
The situation has also been linked to worsening insecurity, as armed groups reportedly control several mining locations, forcing residents to abandon affected communities.
Local government areas such as Maru, Anka, Tsafe, Bukkuyum, Zurmi, Bungudu, Talata-Mafara, and Shinkafi are among the hardest hit due to the abundance of mineral deposits.
Both the federal and state governments have previously imposed bans on mining in the state in a bid to curb illegal operations. However, enforcement challenges have allowed illicit activities to persist.
Recently, the Federal Government lifted a five-year ban on mining in Zamfara following what officials described as an improvement in security conditions.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, said the move was aimed at promoting regulated mining, improving intelligence gathering, and ensuring the country benefits from the state’s mineral wealth, including gold, lithium, and copper deposits.
