The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development Abubakar Bwari, has urged mining investors in Zamfara state to obey Federal Government’s directive to vacate mining sites in the state.
Bwari gave the advice while speaking on the sideline of the groundbreaking ceremony of AG Vision Mining site in Suleja, Niger state.
The Minister said the directive became necessary to protect the lives of the people, saying, “while pursuing economic activities, we must also consider lives of the people” and described the suspension as a `necessary step towards curbing banditry in the state’
The Federal Government has earlier announced the suspension of all mining activities in Zamfara state within 48 hours.
The Acting Inspector-General of Police Muhammed Adamu, who gave the order on behalf of the government, said the suspension was part of measures to check banditry in the state. He stated that the suspension of mining activities followed intelligence reports linking armed banditry with illegal mining activities in the state.
