Artisanal Miners in Zawan, Bukuru, in Jos South Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau, have attributed the recent surge in criminal activities to increased illegal Tin mining in the state.
The Miners, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday said unregulated mining sites had become hideouts for criminal gangs terrorising communities in the area.
Before now, mining sites were organised, and miners were licensed to operate, Mr. Abel Dung, a miner with over 15 years experience said.
“Today, illegal miners have taken over abandoned pits, and at night, those same places are used by thieves and kidnappers,” Dung added.
Also speaking, Mrs. Paula Pam said the influx of non-indigenes into illegal mining sites without proper documentation had made security tracking difficult.
“These illegal operators don’t care about community safety. That is why they leave behind open pits that are now used as criminal dens in the state,” Pam said.
Mr. Dongs Chollom, a representative of the artisanal miners in Zawan, called on the Plateau government and mining regulatory agencies to clamp down on illegal operators.
Chollom also urged traditional rulers and security agencies to profile everyone working in mining sites around Jos South to curb the surging insecurity in the area.
Many areas in Jos South, especially Bukuru and Zawan axis, have in recent months recorded an increase in cases of theft, armed robbery, and kidnapping, often linked to abandoned mining sites. (NAN)
