Gold miners in Nigeria’s northern state of Zamfara are facing growing security risks as armed groups seek to impose levies on mining activities and control mineral-rich areas, threatening livelihoods and economic activity in the region.
This was contained in a report titled ‘Nigeria Security and Political Economy’, covering 2-8 October, 2026, shared with The PUNCH on Monday by SBM Intelligence. The report examines security incidents and their political and economic implications across Nigeria.
Zamfara lies within one of West Africa’s significant gold-bearing belts, where artisanal mining has taken place for decades. However, much of the trade operates through informal channels, limiting government revenue and the wider economic benefits available to mining communities.
The report linked an attack on a military base in Bindin, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, to a dispute between local miners and a gang led by bandit kingpin, Muhammad Dankarami, over payments for mining activities.
According to the report, the dispute escalated after miners allegedly killed a member of the gang, prompting the armed group to attack the military base in retaliation and attempt to seize mining pits it considered part of its economic territory.
Gwaska reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack in an audio message accompanied by photographs. The incident was initially attributed to the Lakurawa group, but the report noted that the relationship between the two groups remained unclear. Although they operate in overlapping areas and sometimes collaborate, they have different objectives.
The military subsequently withdrew from the base, according to SBM Intelligence, creating a security vacuum that prompted residents to blockade the departing convoy.
The report projected that Gwaska’s group could consolidate its control over the Bindin gold-mining site and surrounding mining corridor while the military reassessed its position. It warned that miners and nearby communities could face further insecurity in the short term.
The incident highlights the challenges of regulating mining in an area where gold provides livelihoods but also attracts criminal groups.
The Federal Government suspended mining activities in Zamfara in 2019 because of insecurity before lifting the five-year suspension in December 2024, citing improved security and plans to revive the sector. However, illegal mining reportedly continued during the suspension, illustrating the difficulties of enforcing restrictions in areas where the trade remains economically important.
The state government has also attempted to strengthen oversight. In January 2024, Governor Dauda Lawal prohibited traditional rulers from issuing consent letters for mining across Zamfara’s 14 local government areas, saying the practice had contributed to illegal mining and insecurity. The measure reflected official concerns about mining arrangements operating outside effective regulatory control.
Beyond the Bindin incident, the report described a broader expansion of armed groups’ influence in Zamfara, where rival factions compete for territory, extortion routes and control of economic activities.
Lakurawa, which has traditionally operated in parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states, has expanded into areas of Zamfara, including Shinkafi, Maradun and Tsafe, according to the report. It added that the group had established what it calls a “Dawla”, or governing structure, in some areas and had co-opted or absorbed some bandit factions while taking over their camps.
The report also identified insecurity along the Goronyo-Sokoto Road as a threat to transport and logistics. Bandits reportedly blocked the road and abducted passengers, an incident SBM Intelligence linked to the financial returns from highway kidnappings.
It warned that persistent attacks along the corridor could raise transportation costs as operators sought safer passage or encountered illegal checkpoints.
In a separate incident in Zamfara, bandit kingpin Kachalla Mu’azu and six members of his gang were reportedly killed in a clash with a rival armed group around Mada in Gusau Local Government Area.
SBM Intelligence warned that the killings could trigger reprisals and further fragmentation among armed groups, increasing the risk of opportunistic kidnappings and extortion demands against farming communities during the harvest season.
The report said sustained security operations and efforts to dismantle armed groups’ bases would be necessary to prevent further violence from undermining economic activities across affected communities.