Four Chinese nationals have been arrested on the order of the Niger State Government for allegedly operating an unauthorised mining site in Maiya’aki village, Lapai Local Government Area.
The order followed an on-the-spot inspection by the Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Muhammad Danjuma.
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The commissioner’s intervention followed reports received by the Emir of Lapai, Umar Bago Tafida III, concerning suspected mining activities by foreign nationals at the village.
The emir subsequently directed the district head of Abugi, Mohammed Mustapha, also known as Chiroma Lapa, and his entourage to visit the site on Tuesday to establish the identities of the operators and determine whether they had obtained the necessary authorisation to conduct mining activities.
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During the preliminary visit, the traditional authorities reportedly discovered that the activities were not known to the state government.
The matter was consequently brought to the attention of the commissioner, who proceeded to the site for further investigation.
Commissioner demands mining licences
At the site, the Chinese nationals could not produce valid licences and permits authorising their activities when requested by the commissioner.
Following the development, the commissioner ordered the arrest of four of them and directed that the remaining operators stay at the site while their property and mining equipment were secured.
The arrested suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for further investigation and appropriate action.
The development comes amid a crackdown by the state government on unauthorised mining across the state.
In August, the Commissioner for Mineral Resources warned individuals, companies and groups engaged in illegal mining to immediately stop their activities or face arrest and prosecution.
The government said operators must obtain the required licences and approvals before commencing mining operations.
The state government has also stepped up enforcement operations in recent months. In June, authorities shut down six suspected illegal mineral processing sites in Kontagora Local Government Area in collaboration with the NSCDC Mining Marshals.
Earlier in May, seven suspects were arrested during an enforcement operation against alleged illegal mining in a residential area of Minna, while nine motorcycles believed to have been used for the activities were confiscated.
The state government had also arrested two Chinese nationals at the Zuzungi mining site in Katcha Local Government Area in April over alleged unauthorised mining and handed them over to the Nigeria Immigration Service for further investigation.
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The renewed enforcement is taking place against the backdrop of wider concerns over illegal mining in Nigeria, with security and regulatory agencies increasingly targeting unauthorised operators and foreign nationals.
In June, for instance, 15 Chinese nationals and nine Nigerians were arraigned in Abuja over alleged illegal lithium mining in Nasarawa State.
In Niger State, the Ministry of Mineral Resources is mandated to regulate and monitor mining activities and promote the sustainable exploration and exploitation of the state’s mineral resources in line with Nigeria’s mining laws.
The latest action in Lapai, therefore, signals a further escalation of the state government’s campaign to curb unauthorised mining and ensure that operators comply with the applicable regulatory requirements.
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