The Yobe State Government has stepped up efforts to regulate mining activities following the discovery of gold deposits in parts of Gulani and Gujba Local Government Areas, amid rising concerns over illegal operations and potential security threats.
Managing Director of the Yobe Mining Development Company, Engr. Ba-Modu Yerima, said on Wednesday in Damaturu that prior to government intervention, most artisanal mining activities in the state were illegal due to lack of registration and formalisation.
He noted that since February last year, there had been a surge in artisanal mining across Yobe, largely driven by unregistered operators.
“Most of these miners were operating illegally because they were neither registered nor formalised,” Yerima said.
He disclosed that the government has begun reorganising and registering miners, integrating them into a structured legal framework to curb illegal activities.
According to him, similar measures are ongoing in Gulani, where new gold deposits have been identified, with efforts focused on organising local communities into associations and ensuring proper licensing.
“We are working to structure the communities, encourage them to form associations, and register as legal miners. This will help eliminate illegal mining,” he added.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Generation, Aji Yerima Bularafa, said the government convened stakeholder engagements to address emerging challenges linked to the gold discovery.
He warned that the growing influx of foreign miners into Gulani and Gujba could pose serious security risks if not properly managed.
“We are already witnessing an influx of foreigners into these areas. If not coordinated, this could trigger security challenges similar to those experienced in Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto states,” Bularafa said.
He recalled that many communities in Yobe had only recently recovered from years of insurgency that displaced residents for over a decade.
“We have just regained peace after the Boko Haram insurgency. We cannot afford another crisis driven by unregulated mining,” he added.
The Special Adviser to Governor Mai Mala Buni on Security Matters, retired Brig.-Gen. Dahiru Abdulsalam, also warned of the link between illegal mining and insecurity.
He cited examples from countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where mineral resources have historically fuelled conflicts and criminal activities.
“Illegal mining often attracts individuals with criminal backgrounds who exploit weak enforcement systems,” Abdulsalam said.
He further revealed that foreign nationals are already operating in remote areas like Gulani, sometimes securing protection to sustain illegal activities.
“These actors are not deterred by risks. They pay for protection and continue to exploit resources regardless of the consequences,” he said.
Abdulsalam cautioned that the situation could escalate if insurgent groups gain access to the mineral resources.
“If Boko Haram taps into these deposits, it could shift from ideological conflict to economic exploitation, using proceeds from illegal mining to fund its operations,” he warned.
He stressed the need for proactive regulation, noting that illegal mining and insecurity are closely intertwined, and urged urgent measures to safeguard affected communities.
