Pix: NSCDC Special Mining Marshals Commander, ACC Onoja Attah

The Federal Government’s Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI) has recorded a significant milestone with the successful removal of thousands of illegal miners from designated mining sites in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The operation followed a coordinated, multi-agency intervention involving the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police Force. Through the joint effort, PAGMI-designated sites that had been unlawfully occupied for several months were reclaimed and secured.
Investigations revealed that the displaced illegal miners operated with heavy machinery and unsafe mining methods, resulting in severe land degradation, pollution of water sources, and increased insecurity within host communities. Farmlands were damaged, rivers contaminated, and abandoned mining pits left behind, posing grave dangers, particularly during the rainy season.
Beyond environmental harm, the illegal activities undermined the objectives of PAGMI by denying communities the economic and social benefits of regulated artisanal mining. Authorities noted that unregulated mining also fuels criminality, revenue losses, and conflicts in mineral-rich areas.
Speaking on the development, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant John Onoja Attah, reaffirmed that PAGMI is structured to formalise artisanal mining, safeguard host communities, and ensure that mineral resources contribute meaningfully to national development rather than disorder.
“Mining must be legal, structured, and sustainable. Any activity outside the law endangers lives, degrades the environment, and poses risks to national security,” Attah stated.
He added that surveillance operations and routine patrols have been intensified to prevent the reoccupation of the cleared sites. Relevant agencies have also commenced environmental assessments, remediation, and recovery efforts to restore affected areas.
For residents of Yauri and surrounding communities, the enforcement action has sparked cautious optimism, offering renewed hope that mining activities can be conducted responsibly and in a manner that benefits the people rather than harms their livelihoods and environment.