Efforts by the Taraba State Government to curb illegal mining are facing fresh scrutiny following allegations that some security operatives and political actors assigned to monitor mining activities in Mayo-Kam, Bali Local Government Area, are undermining enforcement measures.
Residents have accused security personnel deployed to two mining sites, identified as Gildan Star and Gildan Boss, of allowing miners from Zamfara, Katsina, Lagos, Gombe and other parts of the country to operate while allegedly restricting indigenes from accessing mineral resources in their community.
The allegations have raised concerns about transparency, equal access to economic opportunities and the effectiveness of security arrangements established to regulate mining activities in the area.
The controversy has been further heightened by reports that a mining site in Mayo-Kam recently collapsed, killing no fewer than 20 miners. However, the exact location of the incident, the identities of the operators, the circumstances surrounding the collapse and the official casualty figure have yet to be independently established.
An elder in the community, Abubakar Tanko, alleged that security operatives were preventing local residents from accessing the mining sites despite their desire to earn a living through mining.
“Our people are not even allowed to have access to the mining site because the security operatives there won’t allow us,” he said.
The traditional ruler of Mayo-Kam, Sarki Baka Shaibu Haruna Mayo-Kam, also called on the government to investigate the allegations and ensure that the community was not marginalised in the exploitation of its mineral resources.
The monarch expressed concern over the withdrawal of security personnel previously deployed to the sites and their subsequent replacement, linking the changes to emerging safety concerns surrounding mining operations.
“We have never witnessed the collapse of mining sites in this community until the security personnel who were there were withdrawn and replaced with the ones that are there now,” he lamented.
Idris Danladi, the governor’s special adviser on marketing and an indigene of Mayo-Kam, alleged that some security personnel collected money from miners to facilitate access to the sites, particularly at night.
He expressed concern that such alleged practices could undermine the state government’s efforts to regulate the mining sector.
Danladi maintained that Governor Agbu Kefas had engaged artisanal miners and other stakeholders to improve compliance with government directives.
However, the allegations from Mayo-Kam, as observed by DAILY POST, have raised questions about the implementation of those commitments and the effectiveness of monitoring arrangements at the mining locations.
The controversy has also drawn in a member of the Taraba State House of Assembly, whom some residents accused of working with security personnel to marginalise the community.
He has since denied the allegations, insisting that he had been doing his best to implement the governor’s mandate and ensure that the right things were done.
Reacting to the allegations, the Taraba State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Victor Mshelizah, said the command “was not aware of the alleged misconduct.”
He added that monitoring was ongoing and that anyone found culpable would face appropriate action. He also maintained that police officers had been cautioned against wrongdoing.
“Regarding this, the command is not aware of such act, though observation is in progress to monitor and punish anyone found. Our officers have been cautioned and warned, so none of our officers is involved,” he told DAILY POST.
Beyond the dispute over access to mineral resources, residents have expressed concern about the safety of miners and the potential consequences of poorly regulated operations.
The reported fatalities have intensified calls for effective supervision, compliance with safety requirements and prompt investigations into mining accidents.
The allegations have also raised questions about the licensing status of Gildan Star and Gildan Boss, the identities of their operators, the agencies responsible for monitoring the sites and the legal basis for restricting residents’ access.
For Governor Kefas, the controversy presents a challenge to his administration’s stated commitment to regulating mining activities and protecting communities affected by mineral exploitation.
For the people of Mayo-Kam, the immediate concerns remain safety, access to legitimate economic opportunities and assurances that the mineral resources in their community will be managed lawfully.
Taraba’s mining regulation efforts face hurdles amid fresh allegations of exclusion, misconduct