By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

The Kogi State Government has linked more than 80 per cent of criminal activities recorded across the state to mining operations, warning that illegal mining has become a major contributor to insecurity in the North-Central state.

The State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said several communities experiencing heightened criminal activities also have significant mining operations, suggesting a strong connection between illegal mining and banditry.

Fanwo explained that the government was not claiming that mining activities were responsible for every crime in the state but maintained that illegal mining had significantly worsened the security situation. According to the commissioner, some illegal miners operate with dangerous weapons, including AK-47 rifles, raising concerns about the relationship between unauthorised mining and armed criminal activities.He disclosed that security operatives had recently arrested more than 30 suspected illegal miners allegedly found in possession of dangerous weapons.

He questioned why individuals engaged in legitimate mining would require military-grade firearms at mining sites. The commissioner said joint security forces had intensified operations to dismantle criminal networks and restore peace to affected communities. He added that more than six terrorist camps had been neutralised during security operations, with many of those killed reportedly identified as Nigerians.Fanwo also disclosed that the state had deployed more than 500 trained forest guards to strengthen surveillance and prevent criminals from using forest areas as hideouts. He said the government was improving intelligence gathering through collaboration with local communities and security agencies.

He further highlighted cooperation between neighbouring states as an important strategy for preventing criminals from exploiting state boundaries to evade arrest. According to him, improved surveillance, community intelligence and coordinated security operations remain essential to tackling banditry and other criminal activities. The commissioner also noted that the Kogi State House of Assembly had supported a state policing bill, while Governor Usman Ododo remained committed to strengthening security across the state.

The government’s position underscores the need for stronger enforcement against illegal mining, effective regulation of mining sites and improved coordination among security agencies and relevant regulatory authorities. However, the allegation that mining activities fuel more than 80 per cent of criminality in Kogi State remains a claim attributed to the commissioner and would require supporting data and transparent verification to establish its precise scope.

As authorities intensify efforts to combat insecurity, the challenge will be to distinguish legitimate mining operations from illegal activities, identify armed criminal networks operating around mining sites and ensure that enforcement measures are guided by evidence and the rule of law.