A footage of illegal mining in Mayo Kam Bali LGA in Taraba (video source: Arise TV)
By Samuel Thomas
Despite repeated government orders suspending mining activities and years of raids by state anti-illegal mining task forces, illegal mining continues to thrive across parts of Taraba State, raising concerns over security, environmental degradation and revenue losses.
Since Governor Agbu Kefas assumed office in 2023, the Taraba State Government has issued several directives suspending mining activities and established task forces to enforce the orders.
The enforcement operations have resulted in thousands of arrests, seizure of mining equipment and confiscation of valuable minerals. But the continued emergence of new mining sites suggests that the measures have so far failed to permanently halt the activities.
Figures attributed to officials of the state task force indicate that more than 3,000 suspected illegal miners have been arrested in various operations, including foreign nationals from countries such as Mali, Senegal, Chad, Burkina Faso and Cameroon.
In one of the major operations in September 2023, the task force reportedly recovered 22,373 kilogrammes of blue sapphire at Mayo Sina in Sardauna Local Government Area.
More than 100 suspects were reportedly arrested during the operation, while mining equipment and other precious stones were also confiscated.
The former chairman of the task force, retired Brigadier-General Jeremiah Faransa, was also quoted as saying that confiscated sapphire from the operations was worth more than N2 billion.
The task force has also reported identifying thousands of mining locations across the state. Faransa was quoted as saying that more than 20,000 legal and illegal mining locations had been identified.
At an earlier stage of the operations, the task force reportedly identified 15 illegal mining sites across five local government areas, including Sardauna, Gashaka, Bali, Wukari and Karim-Lamido.
The state has also reportedly realised more than N1 billion in fines from people arrested for violating government orders suspending mining activities.
Yet, despite the arrests, seizures and fines, illegal mining continues to re-emerge.
Fresh Gold Rush in Bali
The latest concern is coming from Mayo Kam in Bali Local Government Area, where a fresh gold rush has reportedly attracted suspected illegal miners from different parts of Nigeria and other countries.
A video circulating online showed mining activities in the area, with reports that people from Zamfara State and foreign nationals, including individuals from Libya and Egypt, had arrived in search of gold.
The renewed activity is occurring despite the state's suspension of mining activities.
The Taraba State Anti-Illegal Mining Task Force has responded with fresh operations in Mayo Kam and neighbouring areas.
Recent operations reportedly resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspected illegal miners and the seizure of pumps, generators and other mining and processing equipment.
In one operation, about 50 suspects were reportedly arrested, while more than 500 others were said to have been dispersed from the mining area. In other raids, smaller numbers of suspects were arrested, while some suspects were reportedly returned to their states of origin.
The repeated return of miners after security operations raises questions about whether periodic raids and temporary suspensions can effectively address illegal mining in the state.
Security Concerns
For Taraba, the issue extends beyond the loss of minerals and environmental degradation.
The state has experienced years of insecurity, particularly in some rural and border communities. The movement of large numbers of people into remote locations in search of minerals could create additional security challenges, especially where authorities have limited capacity to monitor who enters and leaves mining communities.
The presence of foreign nationals in some mining areas has also heightened concerns about the ability of security agencies to properly monitor activities in remote locations.
The challenge is compounded by the difficult terrain of many mining communities. Some sites are located deep in forests and valleys, with poor road networks and limited security presence.
This makes it possible for illegal operators to receive advance information about enforcement operations, abandon their sites temporarily and return after security personnel leave.
Billions Lost
Beyond security and environmental concerns, illegal mining is also costing Taraba significant revenue.
Investigative reports citing government sources have estimated that the state loses more than N10 billion annually to illegal mining.
However, there is no publicly available, independently audited state-level report establishing the exact amount Taraba loses every year to illegal mining.
The N10 billion figure should therefore be treated as an estimate rather than an audited state revenue-loss figure.
At the national level, the scale of the problem is considerably larger.
The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals has previously estimated that Nigeria loses about $9 billion annually to illegal mining.
Meanwhile, data from the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative shows that the formal solid minerals sector contributed about N401 billion to Nigeria's economy in 2023, representing roughly 0.72 per cent of GDP.
The relatively low contribution of the formal mining sector, despite Nigeria's considerable mineral resources, has repeatedly raised questions about illegal mining, weak regulation, poor enforcement and the large informal economy surrounding mineral extraction.
Why Does Illegal Mining Keep Returning?
One of the major difficulties confronting the government is the scale and geographical spread of mining activities.
With thousands of identified locations across the state, maintaining permanent security and regulatory presence at every site would require considerable manpower, funding and logistics.
There are also concerns about weak and unsustained enforcement.
Periodic raids may disrupt operations but do not necessarily dismantle the networks responsible for financing, organising and marketing illegally mined minerals.
There have also been allegations of collusion involving local actors and influential individuals. Such allegations, however, require proper investigation and should not be treated as established facts without evidence.
Another challenge is the limited formalisation of artisanal mining. For many people living around mining communities, mining provides an important source of income. Simply banning the activity without providing legal alternatives or other livelihood opportunities can make it difficult to sustain enforcement.
Beyond Raids and Suspensions
Experts and stakeholders say a lasting solution requires more than shutting down mining sites.
The state and federal governments need to strengthen coordination between agencies responsible for mining regulation, environmental protection and security.
There is also a need for a transparent and accessible licensing system that allows legitimate artisanal miners to operate legally and makes it easier for authorities to monitor their activities.
Technology could also help authorities monitor remote mining locations through satellite imagery, geographic information systems and intelligence-led operations.
Community participation is equally important.
Residents of mining communities should have a stake in legitimate mining activities through benefit-sharing arrangements and development programmes. Providing alternative livelihoods could also reduce dependence on illegal mining.
Environmental protection must form another critical part of the strategy.
Mining activities can lead to deforestation, destruction of farmland, pollution of water sources and degradation of landscapes. Operators should therefore be required to rehabilitate degraded sites and comply with environmental standards.
Authorities must also go beyond arresting miners at the extraction points and investigate the networks that finance, transport and sell illegally mined minerals.
A Problem That Requires a Long-Term Solution
The experience of Taraba shows that illegal mining cannot be eliminated through executive orders and periodic security raids alone.
The thousands of arrests and tonnes of minerals seized by government task forces demonstrate that enforcement agencies have taken significant action. But the emergence of new mining sites, including the recent gold rush in Mayo Kam, shows that the underlying problem remains.
For a state already dealing with security challenges, continued unregulated movement of people into remote mining communities could have consequences beyond the mining sector.
Taraba therefore faces the challenge of developing a long-term strategy that combines sustained enforcement with regulation, community participation, alternative livelihoods, environmental restoration and action against the wider networks profiting from illegal mining.
Until those underlying issues are addressed, the cycle of raids, arrests, temporary closure and the eventual return of illegal miners is likely to continue.
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