Thousands of illegal gold miners have been repeatedly dislodged from designated sites in Yauri Local Government Area, Kebbi State, following a large-scale federal operation.
The operation, led by Mining Marshals under the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI), was carried out in coordination with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police Force.
Officials said the crackdown targeted mining sites that had long been occupied by unregulated operators deploying heavy machinery, explosives, and practices that caused extensive environmental degradation and heightened insecurity.
Residents described the illegal mining surge as a slow-burning crisis.
A community leader said, “Our farmlands were being destroyed, and the river we depend on was turning brown. We lived in fear as armed strangers came in daily.”
Environmental experts warned that such unregulated mining often leaves behind unstable pits, contaminated soil, and polluted waterways, increasing risks to agriculture, public health, and livelihoods.
Fatal accidents during the rainy season were also reported in abandoned pits.
Speaking after the operation, Assistant Commandant of Corps John Onoja Attah, commander of the Mining Marshals, said PAGMI was a deliberate policy intervention to formalise artisanal mining, empower host communities, and ensure that mineral resources benefit local populations.
“PAGMI is about inclusion, structure and sustainability. Those genuinely interested in mining must register and operate within legal frameworks. Anything outside that endangers lives, destroys the environment, and fuels insecurity,” he said.
The Mining Marshals have been directed to maintain constant surveillance of reclaimed sites while working with environmental agencies to remediate degraded land.
Analysts said the Yauri operation reflects a broader federal push to sanitise Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, curb revenue leakages, and dismantle criminal networks exploiting artisanal mining zones.
A local youth leader said, “If PAGMI is allowed to work the way it was designed, mining can finally benefit our people instead of destroying our land.”
Meanwhile, security experts have urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to replicate the operation in Zamfara and other northern states, warning that illegal mining fuels banditry and undermines national security.
'
'Do you want to share a story with us? Do you want to advertise with us? Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event? Contact us on WhatsApp +2348183319097 Email: platformtimes@gmail.com
We are committed to impactful investigative journalism for human interest and social justice. Your donation will help us tell more stories. Kindly donate any amount HERE
