Umar Bago, governor of Niger, says male children are abandoning junior secondary schools in the state for artisanal mining, which they consider more lucrative than education.
Bago spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics
programme, where he described artisanal mining as a menace in the state.
The governor’s remark follows the death of 37 suspected
illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC).
The victims were among scores of suspects arrested during
operations conducted on September 15 and 16 around Lt Gen Mohammed Inuwa
Wushishi Estate in Minna, the Niger state capital.
Following the development, the federal government suspended
Suberu Aniviye, the Niger state NSCDC commandant, and 23 other officers,
ordering a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Bago said a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) on Shiroro and other LGAs in the state projected that there could be
no male children in JSS2 by 2027 because of artisanal mining.
“We know that gold mining in Niger state has become
habitual,” he said.
“The UNICEF report on Shiroro and other LGAs says by 2027,
there will not be a single male child in Grade 8, that is JSS2, Grade 7,
because all of them are into artisanal mining. They have left classrooms and
are not in schools. This is a problem for us.”
The governor said the situation was difficult to tackle
because the state government lacked direct control over security agencies and
could not unilaterally order arrests or other operations against miners.
He said many of the children were unwilling to return to
school after experiencing the financial gains from mining.
“But these people, because they have tested the mining
money, cannot leave the site,” Bago said.
“We need decisive action. We need an executive order from
the presidency, from the ministry of mineral resources, to ban mining in
certain locations where we have seen they are problematic. Once that is done,
it can be enforced.”
Bago lamented that many residents in areas known for
agricultural practices have all taken to mining.
He cited Shiroro as an example, saying the area had
historically been largely agrarian before residents abandoned farming for
artisanal mining.
“The amount of energy they dissipate in this mining
business, if they put half of it into farming, they will do better,” he said.
“Shiroro used to be one of the biggest local governments
that was agrarian, but they have abandoned farming for mining. It’s a menace,
and there must be deliberate action.”
Asked whether his administration would take stronger action
against parents who allow their children to stay out of school and engage in
mining, Bago said the government would consider the matter.
“We are going to look at that because it’s a very tall
order,” he said.
‘EXPATRIATES ARE FUNDING THE ACTIVITIES’
The governor said the scale of illegal economic activities
in Niger made the problem difficult to address, noting that the state occupies
about 10 percent of Nigeria’s landmass and has extensive mineral resources.
“Mining, poaching and logging are serious businesses,” he
said.
“Niger state has the largest concentration of forests and
trees in West Africa, and people are there doing logging.
“It’s not just about digging the ground. Even cutting trees,
making charcoal, killing animals and selling their hides and woods — all these
things are happening.”
Bago said illegal mining, poaching and logging also
contributed to insecurity in the state, adding that foreigners were involved in
financing and operating some of the activities.
“You have expatriates from other countries in our domain
operating and funding these activities, and you are limited because you are
constrained,” he said.
According to him, security agencies were aware of the
activities but faced limitations because some of the foreign operators had
licences.
“The military knows about it. The DSS knows about it. The
police know about it. They are constrained because these expatriates have
licences,” he said.
“So it’s not about the governor. The governor is limited to
only his cabinet. The governor is just a chief security officer of a state by
mouth. It’s rhetorical. There’s no power. You can’t give any order.”
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