Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has commanded that all illicit mining operations in various areas of the state be immediately stopped.
In an emergency security meeting with stakeholders from the Kwande Local Government Area over the illegal mining of gold in the area, the governor issued the order yesterday at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi.
Governor Ortom issued a warning that, if left uncontrolled, illegal mining poses security and environmental risks to not only the Kwande region but also the entire state.
Therefore, he cancelled all of the privileges that certain villages in Benue State had provided to mining gangsters. He issued a warning that anyone found engaging in or ceasing unlawful mining activities will face legal repercussions.
The governor said although mining is controlled by the Federal Government, the lands where mining would be done were held by the governor in trust for the people of the state, emphasising that due process must be followed in carrying out mining activities.
Governor Ortom stated that prospective miners will be profiled before they will be allowed to carry out any mining activity in the state to check the infiltration of criminal elements.
He commended the Chairman of Kwande Local Government Area, Orjiir Gbande for being alert and drawing his attention to the security and environmental threats posed by illegal mining activities in the Turan and Kyurav axis of the local government.
The governor further cautioned traditional rulers from the area to refrain from unlawfully ceding lands to prospective miners, stressing that only the state government had the right to approve lands for use by anyone for such purpose.
The member representing Benue Northeast Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Gabriel Suswam, urged Benue people on the unity of purpose to overcome the security challenges confronting the state.
Senator Suswam also appealed to traditional rulers, especially those from Kwande Local Government Area to be security conscious so as not to harbour criminal elements that may infiltrate their communities.