The Chairman of Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State, Dr. Joseph Sunday Riti, has decried the increasing rate of mining by underaged children in the council, noting that the situation has forced many of them to drop out of school.

According to him, to curb the trend, the council has established a special task force to monitor all mining sites in the area and arrest any child of school age found working there. He added that parents of such children would also face prosecution.

Dr. Riti, who disclosed this during a media parley at the local government council chamber, stated that apart from the rising number of school dropouts at both primary and secondary levels, some children had lost their lives in the course of illegal mining, leaving their parents and communities in grief.

The council chairman further revealed that the local government was not acting alone in tackling child trafficking. He explained that the council was working in collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and other relevant organisations to address the disturbing situation.

“Prior to the state government’s intervention through the competent agencies, Bassa Local Government was one of the councils with the highest prevalence of child trafficking issues. However, the intervention of the state government has reduced the rate.

“On our part, we have been providing resources to bring back some of those taken away for menial jobs outside the state. When they are brought back, they are rehabilitated and returned to their parents under strict conditions. Many of them have been rescued, and efforts are still ongoing to recover more,” he said.

Dr. Riti also noted that the council had recently experienced relative peace, which he attributed to the state government’s efforts, improved security measures, and collaboration with security agencies.

According to him, these measures have helped to stabilise the situation, and he urged residents of the local government to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity that could disrupt the prevailing peace in the area. (Nigerian Tribune)