By Egberongbe Abibu Oluwa

For more than ten years, Zamfara State in northwestern Nigeria has found itself trapped between untapped prosperity and deepening crisis. Hidden beneath its rocky terrain are vast deposits of gold and other valuable minerals resources that hold the promise of economic upliftment for the region’s population. Yet, instead of serving as a blessing, these mineral riches have become a source of violence, lawlessness, and widespread misery. Successive military campaigns, security deployments, and government strategies have failed to curb the tide. Illegal mining networks continue to thrive, often outmaneuvering state forces with ease. This report explores the complex factors that sustain this unsettling status quo.

The gold rush in Zamfara shows no sign of slowing down. In remote communities like Anka, Maru, Shinkafi, and Bukkuyum, thousands of illegal and informal miners are engaged in daily digging, panning, and ore processing. What initially started as small-scale artisanal mining has now evolved into a well-organized criminal network, one backed by armed groups, funded by foreign interests, facilitated by cross-border smugglers, and protected by influential local figures. The scale is alarming: estimates indicate that more than 90 percent of mining activities in the state operate outside the law. This underground economy not only deprives Nigeria of substantial revenue but also weakens law enforcement and worsens the security crisis in the region.

Security forces deployed to tackle the crisis face immense challenges. Though personnel from the Nigerian Army, Police, Air Force, NSCDC, and special task forces are present in the state, their efforts are often reactive and fragmented. One of the most critical issues is intelligence. The miners and their armed protectors understand the local terrain far better than many of the operatives sent to apprehend them. These actors exploit the rugged topography, forests, and unmarked routes to evade detection, while many security personnel lack the training, language skills, or local guides necessary to navigate such complex geography.

Adding to this challenge is the problem of manpower and logistics. Many security units are overstretched and burdened with multiple responsibilities—from protecting communities and escorting convoys to manning checkpoints and responding to attacks. With hundreds of mining sites scattered across difficult terrain, few of which are connected by accessible roads or communications networks, a small force simply cannot keep up. The problem is not just numerical but also technological; security agencies lack real-time surveillance tools such as drones, satellite tracking, and geo-fencing systems that could help monitor illegal activities from a distance.

Corruption is another invisible hand steering the crisis. Within both the security apparatus and political establishments, there are credible allegations of complicity. Some operatives reportedly receive bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye or offering protection to illegal miners. Others are suspected of being part of the illicit value chain themselves. When those entrusted to enforce the law are also beneficiaries of the lawlessness, meaningful progress becomes nearly impossible. This compromise of integrity severely undermines public confidence and hampers efforts at coordinated enforcement.

Illegal mining in Zamfara is not a rudderless activity; it is structured, financed, and shielded by powerful interests. There is mounting evidence that some local and state-level political figures either directly or indirectly benefit from the trade. Their influence serves as a political shield for mining cartels, preventing law enforcement from acting decisively. When security operatives attempt to enforce existing laws, they often face political interference or are quickly redeployed. This pattern has created an atmosphere of impunity, where illegal miners and their enablers operate with confidence and little fear of consequence.

The international dimension of the crisis further complicates efforts at control. Nigeria’s gold is highly sought after by buyers from China, the Middle East, and West Africa. Foreign agents are known to provide financing, equipment, and smuggling networks that link Zamfara to regional and global markets. Much of the gold extracted illegally is trafficked out of the country through porous borders in Sokoto and Katsina, with little to no documentation or regulation. These sophisticated smuggling channels make enforcement efforts within Nigeria nearly futile unless cross-border intelligence cooperation is strengthened.

Government policy responses have been inconsistent and often symbolic. The federal government has oscillated between issuing bans and initiating artisanal mining programs, but there is a glaring absence of a sustainable, long-term strategy. Security operations, while necessary, are often reactive rather than preventive. Programs like the National Gold Purchase initiative and the establishment of Mining Marshals under the NSCDC hold promise but remain underfunded, undertrained, and underutilized. Instead of integrated planning, agencies work in silos, leading to duplication of efforts and gaps in enforcement.

At the heart of the problem lies a desperate population. In many Zamfara communities, illegal mining is not merely a crime—it is a means of survival. With little access to jobs, education, or basic services, young men and entire families are drawn to the mines out of economic necessity. Local communities often collaborate with illegal miners, offering protection, labor, and information in exchange for patronage. In areas where government presence is weak or non-existent, the loyalty of the people often shifts toward those who can provide money, food, or security even if those providers are criminal groups or bandits.

The environmental and health costs of this desperation are devastating. In 2010, over 400 children in Zamfara died from lead poisoning caused by unsafe mining practices. Yet mining continues, and new deaths, though less publicized, still occur. The long-term damage to the soil, water sources, and human health will persist for generations. But for communities facing daily hunger and insecurity, these future consequences are secondary to the need for immediate survival.

The overreliance on military intervention without complementary development initiatives has proven ineffective. Helicopter gunships may dislodge miners from a site, but without providing alternatives—such as regulated mining cooperatives, community development, and vocational training those same miners will resurface elsewhere. What is needed is a coordinated strategy that combines enforcement with governance, economic planning, and environmental rehabilitation.

Ultimately, the reason illegal miners consistently stay ahead of security operatives in Zamfara is not merely due to their cunning or resort to violence. Their advantage lies in a system that is structurally skewed in their favor. They thrive in the absence of effective governance, manipulate the loopholes of a weakened economy, and operate freely within a compromised security framework. Without addressing these underlying systemic failures, enforcement efforts will continue to resemble a costly and dangerous cat-and-mouse chase, one that is bound to remain ineffective.

Zamfara’s gold holds the potential to drive economic progress and development. Instead, it fuels instability and disorder. Until Nigeria begins to confront this situation not just as a policing challenge but as a broader crisis encompassing governance, development, and national security, the illegal miners will remain firmly in control, always a step ahead.

Egberongbe Abibu Oluwa wrote in from Lagos