The Federal Government of Nigeria on Sunday has ordered all foreign miners to vacate mining sites in Zamfara state and its environs this is done in a bid to curb the growing cases of banditry in the state and the North West region of Nigeria.
Briefing State House correspondents at the presidential villa Abuja, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu mni, alongside the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Director General, Directorate of State Security (DSS); Yusuf Bichi, fwc and Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar warned that any foreign miner that continues mining activities would have his license revoked.
The move which would curtail the activities of the armed banditry that have been terrorizing the people of the state and environs is long awaited by the citizenry. The Police chief opined that there was a nexus between activities of the bandits and illicit miners, adding that a combined team of security forces would be dispatched to the area to take immediately.
Recall that on 25th August 2018, President Buhari while interacting with troops deployed to curb the activities of bandits and criminals in Zamfara and neighboring states under Operations Sharan Daji and Diran Mikiya, ask the army to deal decisively with the bandits.