The Federal Government’s Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI) has recorded a major breakthrough with the eviction of thousands of illegal miners from designated mining sites in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
The operation was carried out through a coordinated, multi-agency effort involving the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police Force. The joint team successfully reclaimed PAGMI sites that had been illegally occupied for several months.
Authorities said the illegal miners had deployed heavy machinery and engaged in unsafe mining practices that resulted in severe land degradation, pollution of water sources, and increased insecurity in surrounding communities.
Farmlands were destroyed, rivers contaminated, and abandoned mining pits created serious safety hazards, particularly during the rainy season.
Speaking on the operation on Sunday, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant John Onoja Attah, said PAGMI was established to formalise artisanal mining, safeguard host communities, and ensure that Nigeria’s mineral resources generate shared economic benefits rather than disorder and destruction.
“Mining must be legal, structured, and sustainable. Anything outside the law endangers lives, the environment, and national security,” Attah said.
He added that surveillance and routine patrols have been intensified to prevent the illegal miners from returning, while environmental assessments and recovery efforts are already underway at the affected sites.
For residents of Yauri, the crackdown has brought cautious optimism, offering renewed hope that mining activities in the area will be conducted responsibly and in a way that benefits local communities rather than harming them.
