Police Arrest Six Foreigners for Illegal Mining in Zamfara

The Zamfara State Police Command has detained six foreign nationals from Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic in connection with illegal mining and banditry in the state.

Mohammed Dalijan, the state Commissioner of Police, revealed this in Gusau on Wednesday while parading the suspects to the Command Headquarters.

He stated that three Burkinabe suspects were apprehended in the Anka Local Government Area, which includes the mining location of late bandits’ mastermind Halilu Sububu.

He said that the suspects were apprehended with certain harmful chemicals, including CNI chemicals, which they were using to extract gold.

They are not indigenous people, and they traveled from Burkina Faso to Nigeria on purpose to engage in illicit mining. They were apprehended with these substances, including CNI. As you are aware, CNI is a highly toxic chemical that thieves employ in a variety of ways, the most common of which is to extract gold.

“We are trying to find out where they keep their arms because we believe they are fully armed, they have taken over the mining pit of the late Halilu Buzu, and we want to find out their relationship.”

According to the CP, 10 more illegal miners from Talata-Mafara local government were apprehended carrying numerous bags of mineral processing chemicals.

According to Dalijan, the Command also apprehended three other foreigners from the Niger Republic in possession of three locally made AK-47 guns and ammo.
We’ve also caught three guys in the Niger Republic with forged AK-47 rifles, but they used AK-47 magazines and ammunition; we’re looking into who the makers are,” he added.

The commissioner voiced concern about the rate of irregular movement of foreigners into the nation to commit crimes.

He underlined the Command’s efforts to ensure that the federal and state governments’ mining bans are strictly enforced.

“We are endangered by our neighbors, some people from Burkina Faso and Niger coming here to do all kinds of crimes.

There is more to why some people leave Burkina Faso to enter our jungle, where our people are not normally allowed to go.

“I want everybody to know that mining is still illegal, the Federal Government has banned mining in Zamfara State, the state government has also banned mining, the Inspector General of Police has mandated us to enforce the law and we will continue enforcing it until there are no illegal miners in Zamfara State,” the constable stated.