Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu, has vowed to sanitize mining activities across the state, maintaining that the youths of the state must be actively and meaningfully engaged in such artisanal mining.
He spoke on Thursday in Yauri, when he paid a courtesy call on the Emir, Dr. Zayyanu Abdullahi.
This is contained in a statement Signed by Special Adviser Media & Publicity to Kebbi State Governor Yahaya Sarki and issued to newsmen on Thursday.
According to statement the Governor said that the state government won’t fold its arms and allow its citizens to be treated like slaves in their own land, insisting that all the Gold and other solid minerals were endowed to them by the Almighty Allah.
Dr. Nasir Idris said, “This visit was necessitated by the recent altercations at the Marrarabar Yauri mining site in Ngaski LGA under the PAGMI Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiatives.
“The fracas led to the unfortunate death of one person and the destruction of public as well as private property.
“We have however swiftly intervened and duly restored peace and we will not allow acts of impunity by anybody, mostly by foreigners.”
The Governor lamented that mining activities were related to insecurity, warning, “we won’t tolerate the infiltration of people from Mali, Niger and even Tanzania.
“These are people from neighbouring West African countries and others from East Africa who are conducting these activities.
“Some of them are here hugely exploring and exploiting our God-given resources while they are intimidating the host communities who rightly own these abundant resources.”
Dr Nasir Idris, who directed the immediate suspension of all activities at the site, said the action was to restore sanity.
According to him, the suspension would not be lifted until when all the artisanal miners are properly profiled and duly registered.
The Governor said that such exercise would be conducted across all mining sites in the state.
He said, ” This is to ensure that we know the people to hold responsible if there are any problems.
“Our youths and their communities must also be fully engaged and carried along in such mining activities.”
On his courtesy call, Dr. Nasir Idris paid respect to the highly revered Emir, whom he said had been part and parcel of the success of his emergence as a Governor and to the success of his administration.
The Governor described the Emir as a father to all, extolling him as a veteran educator to the people of the state.
“We acknowledge your sustained fervent prayers, support and cooperation to myself and my government.
“We will continue to be loyal and show utmost respect to you and the Yauri Emirate,”Dr Idris added.
The Emir, while responding, lauded Dr Idris for the timely and very important visit, saying that it would further bolster peace and across the state, especially at the affected mining site.
Dr Abdullahi also commended the Governor for his sustained efforts to take the state to greater heights and improve the living standards of the people of his Emirate and the state in general.
The Emir welcomed the suspension of mining activities in the site by the Governor, underscoring the need to respect law and order.
Dr Abdullahi lamented that most of the Artisanal miners causing trouble in the area were largely unlicenced, adding, “they have however become powerful, they are armed and lawless.
“They are also being backed by some security agencies and some politicians,hence their impunity is unbecoming and they must be checked.”
During the visit , Hon. Bello Abubakar Kaoje, Member representing Suru/Bagudo Federal Constituency, in the House of Representatives was conferred with the traditional title of ‘ARDON YAURI’ by Emir of Yauri .