The African Democratic Congress, Jigawa State chapter, has warned that the state government’s plan to expand mining operations could erode the relative peace in the state and create a fresh opening for banditry, kidnapping and ransom-related crimes.
The party said that at a time of prevailing insecurity and economic hardship nationwide, pushing for more mining without strong security safeguards could expose Jigawa communities to new and dangerous threats.
It was gathered that the position of the party followed the recent inauguration of the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee, MIREMCO, by the state government to drive solid mineral development and boost revenue.
In a statement issued and made available to journalists in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on Thursday by the Deputy State Chairman of the ADC, Ambassador Nuraddeen Jidawa, said, “The party cautioned the government against inadvertently opening a new security frontier in a state that has remained relatively peaceful compared to other North-West states.”
Jidawa’s statement reads that, “While the objective of formalising mining and improving revenue generation was laudable, security must come first before opening up mineral-bearing areas.”
The ADC Deputy Chairman said reports of foreigners infiltrating troubled areas across the country made it necessary for the government to carry out a comprehensive security assessment before any expansion.
He warned that “if not properly regulated, mining activities could create an avenue for bandits, illegal miners, criminal financiers, arms traffickers and smugglers to establish footholds in Jigawa.”
“Jigawa cannot afford to create another avenue through which criminal networks, illegal miners or other security threats could gain access to our communities,” Jidawa said.
He cited the experiences of Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States as clear examples of how unregulated mining attracted criminal elements and fueled banditry, kidnapping, extortion and mineral smuggling.
According to him, Jigawa’s comparative peace is a strategic asset that must be protected through preventive action, not by waiting until criminal networks become entrenched.
“The fundamental question is: what security architecture is in place to ensure that Jigawa’s mineral deposits do not become magnets for bandits, illegal miners, criminal financiers, arms traffickers and smugglers?” he asked in the statement.
Moreover, the statement stressed that the government must not wait until bandits establish mining camps, communities come under attack, and criminal financiers penetrate the mineral economy before acting.
As a preventive measure, the ADC Jigawa State deputy chairman called on the state government to undertake comprehensive security mapping and assessment of all proposed mining locations and their surrounding communities.
The party also demanded the suspension of new mining activities until security conditions improve and adequate safeguards are put in place.
He said, “The ADC supports job creation, economic diversification and responsible exploitation of mineral resources, but maintained that security remains the overriding consideration.”
“Prevention is cheaper than recovery. Jigawa must act before criminal networks establish a foothold, not after our communities have paid the price,” he said.
However, the party Deputy Chairman explained that mineral development should be community-centered and security-conscious, to ensure that Jigawa’s resources serve as a foundation for prosperity rather than a gateway for organized crime.
“Our message is simple: develop the people, protect the people, secure the communities and preserve the peace,” Jidawa said, adding that “The peace of Jigawa must never be sacrificed for mineral revenue.”
