Edo community raises alarm over security threat posed by illegal gold miners

From Tony Osauzo, Benin

The ‘Concerned Residents of Dangbala’ community in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State have raised the alarm over the return of activities of illegal gold miners.

The Convener and Secretary of the group, Godwin Amusa and Agbaje Saiki, said in a statement that it has become imperative to go public on the issue in order to avoid the Zamfara State situation.

They pointed out that the illegal miners’ increased competition has created tension in the community, just as their activities have become an issue of security threat in the area.

The residents said they now sleep and wake with the fear of not knowing what to expect in the community.

They stressed that besides security threats to the area and by extension the state, both the State and the Federal government are losing a lot of revenue through the illegal activities of the miners.

“The once peaceful community has been turned into something we fear may snowball into what will become a problem to the community and state as a whole.

“These people move in with their equipment at ungodly hours and carry on with their activities with impunity. With the way they go about their activities, one is forced to believe that they have outside forces backing them.

“As I speak with you, the leadership of the community is divided on the matter, while some pretend not to know what is happening, others who are speaking against it are being shut down.

“This is the reason why few of us came together and decided to come out publicly to call for urgent action to be taken by the authority to stop this madness that may become a security threat if not handled with dispatch,” the statement said.

Earlier in the year, the community had raised similar alarm over the same issue, forcing‎ the miners to vacate the community following the intervention of the State Government which ordered them to vacate the community.

The illegal miners were however said to have returned to the community a few weeks ago.

When contacted, the Zonal Mining Officer (ZMO), Mr Abdulkadiri Adamu, said he was unaware of the return of illegal miners to the area since it was shut down by the Edo Government.

“Edo State government placed an embargo on the activities of miners in the area and am not aware that they (miners) are back there,” he added‎.