The Federal Government has ruled out a blanket suspension of mining activities across Northern Nigeria, despite calls by northern governors and traditional leaders for a six-month halt as part of efforts to curb insecurity in the region.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this in an exclusive interaction with The PUNCH on Monday in Abuja, stressing that a total shutdown of mining operations would have grave economic consequences for both the North and the country at large.

The minister’s position was conveyed through his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, who said the Federal Government had carefully weighed the security concerns against the economic realities of ongoing mining and mineral processing activities across the region.

He said, “The position of the Federal Government remains that there can’t be a blanket suspension of mining activities across the North because it will have far more adverse economic implications for the region and the nation.”

Alake added that several strategic industrial facilities rely directly on mining operations in the North.

“We have lithium plants that are operational in Nasarawa and the outskirts of Abuja; an iron processing plant in Kaduna, and a host of other mining activities that will be affected by a blanket ban. Even the cement factory in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, depends on mining of limestone,” Tomori said.

He added that following engagements with the Federal Government, northern governors had begun to reconsider their earlier advice on a total ban.

“So, based on these facts, I believe the northern governors have reconsidered their advisory on a blanket ban based on our engagement with them,” he said.

Instead of a wholesale suspension, the minister said the Federal Government was pursuing a targeted security approach aimed at flushing out criminal elements operating around mining sites.

According to him, this strategy is already being implemented through a multi-agency security operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, covering parts of the North-West, North-East and North-Central.

“What can work is to map out areas that are severely affected by bandit activities and rout the non-state actors. That is already being done through a multi-agency security operation coordinated by the NSA across the North-west, North-east and parts of the North-Central,” he said.

Tomori stressed that legitimate mining activities should not be punished for the actions of illegal operators.

He noted that consultations with state governments were ongoing, revealing that the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, met with the minister in January as part of the engagement process.

“There is no consideration for blanket suspension of all mining activities in the north. However, we are engaging with the Governors on how best to tackle the menace of insecurity fueled by illegal mining in some areas. The Nasarawa state Governor, Abdullahi Sule, met with the minister sometime in January as part of the consultations,” he said.

Responding categorically to demands by northern governors for a comprehensive audit and revalidation of mining licences, the minister confirmed that such a process was already being planned.

“We announced sometime last year that an audit of the entire sector is in the offing. Details are being worked out and are being kept under wraps until we are ready to announce its implementation,” he said.

To strengthen enforcement, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government was fast-tracking the deployment of satellite surveillance to monitor mining sites nationwide.

“We are fast-tracking the process for the installation of satellite surveillance of mining sites, among other measures, to bolster the capacity of the mining marshals for more effectiveness,” Tomori said.

He added that the Federal Government was working with international partners to improve security outcomes.

“The Federal Government will continue to do its best alongside its allies to ensure the security of the North and indeed the entire country. We can see improved security operations in hotbeds and recent collaboration with the US military in that regard,” he said.

In December 2025, the Northern Governors’ Forum, alongside other influential leaders, urged the Federal Government to suspend mining activities in the region for six months, arguing that illegal mining had become a major source of funding for banditry and other criminal activities.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

The call followed multiple school raids, violent attacks and kidnappings across mining communities, particularly in parts of Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna and Katsina states.

On November 17, 2025, armed men attacked the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 24 schoolgirls. The school’s vice-principal was killed during the attack. The students were freed a few days later.

Four days later, on November 21, gunmen invaded St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community, Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff.

Church and local officials later confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken away.

The escalating attacks prompted several states to order the temporary closure of schools in Kebbi, Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Katsina and Kwara states.

Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, however, has been identified by the Federal Government as a key pillar of its economic diversification drive, with significant investments in lithium, iron ore, limestone and gold expected to generate jobs, boost exports and grow non-oil revenue.

The government’s refusal to impose a blanket ban reflects a balancing act between security imperatives and economic survival, as authorities seek to clamp down on illegal mining without shutting down legitimate operations critical to regional development.

Meanwhile, Jigawa State is still waiting for the Federal Government’s response to the Northern Governors’ Forum’s demand to suspend mining activities in the region for six months to tackle insecurity.

Chief Press Secretary to the Jigawa State Governor, Comrade Hamisu Gumel, in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents, the state government is concerned about the security implications of illegal mining, but hasn’t received any official communication from the Federal Government on the suspension.

“We are aware of the Northern Governors’ Forum’s demand, but we are yet to receive any official response from the Federal Government,” Gumel told our Correspondent.

Gumel added that Jigawa State had no records of cases related to illegal mining and insecurity, but the state government is committed to supporting efforts to address the issue.

“The Northern Governors’ Forum had requested the suspension of mining activities to allow for an audit and revalidation of licenses, citing concerns over the role of illegal mining in fuelling insecurity in the region,” he remarked.

According to him, the forum has also announced plans to establish a Security Trust Fund, with each state contributing N1bn monthly, to support joint security operations and intelligence-driven interventions.

However, Gumel, who said he’s not authorised to speak on behalf of the Northwest governor’s forum, explained that it is unclear how many states have contributed to the fund so far.

Gumel said the Jigawa State government is committed to working with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to address insecurity and promote economic development.

“The state government has been working to strengthen security measures and promote community engagement to prevent the spread of insecurity,” he concluded.

Similarly, the call by the Northern States Governors’ Forum for a six-month suspension of mining activities across northern Nigeria as part of measures to curb insecurity is yet to be fully implemented in Kwara State.

Findings show that while the initiative has been discussed at the policy level, contributions from individual states and full operational rollout remain at early stages, with no confirmed participation reported in Kwara as of the latest state security briefings.

Security analysts warn that the delay in implementing both the mining suspension and the regional trust fund may be prolonging vulnerabilities in mineral-rich rural communities, particularly in parts of North-Central Nigeria where illegal mining camps operate within remote forest corridors.

Coordinator of the Kwara Sustainable Development Advocacy Forum, Musa Idris Buko, said the group had raised concerns in 2024 about the possible security implications of unregulated mining activities in Kwara North.

“We raised the alarm and called on the Federal Government to prioritise the development of the mining sector in Kwara in line with global best practices,” he said.

“If illegal mining in Kwara North is allowed to thrive, it will affect food security and agricultural production. What we are witnessing today shows the dangers of ignoring early warnings.”

Some community stakeholders have also suggested that recurring attacks in remote areas may indirectly create conditions that force residents to abandon mineral-rich communities, allowing illegal mining networks to operate with limited resistance, a trend observers say has been recorded in several conflict-affected zones across northern Nigeria.

As security operations intensify across affected states, policy experts are urging the Federal Government and northern governors to clarify the status of the proposed mining suspension, accelerate the launch of the regional security trust fund and strengthen regulatory oversight of mining activities to prevent criminal groups from exploiting the sector.

However, the Bauchi State Government has confirmed suspension of mining activities in parts of the state as part of measures to address recurring insecurity.

Responding to enquiries from The PUNCH, the Special Assistant to the Governor, Khalifa Rishi, said the suspension was implemented in Alkaleri Local Government Area, which has witnessed repeated security challenges.

According to him, the decision was taken following incidents of insecurity linked to mining activities in the area.

“The suspension was implemented in the Alkaleri Local Government Area. It is because of the recurrent insecurity we recorded in the area,” Rishi said.

He noted that since the suspension of mining operations, there has been a significant improvement in the security situation in the affected communities. (The PUNCH)

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