NEWS
Artisan Miners Flex Muscles with Niger Governor over Ban
From Dan Amasingha, Minna
Niger State stern warnings over ban on illegal and official mining is been challenged by artisanal miners who have continued to carry out their activities across the state, saying “we do not have any other jobs.
”It should be recalled that before the collapse of two mining pits in communities in Shiroro and Paikoro local governments of the state during which some lives were lost and others still trapped, the state Governor Alhaji Umaru Bago had placed a ban on mining in all parts of the state.
The state government in a bid to take action arrested some of the artisanal miners including women and breastfeeding mothers.
Speaking to an artisanal miner who simply gave her name as Rahina, she said the government is being insensitive at their plights adding that “most of us here were chased out of our lands by Boko Haram and our husbands have been killed or abducted.
The mother of three told newsmen that when their community in Shiroro LGA was attacked and her husband killed, they managed to move to Minna to survive.
According to her, when we arrived Minna, we went begging for foods and we had no place to sleep until this day I saw these people (miners) and I approached a lady who told me she is from Gusoro village in the same Shiroro local government area with me.
“She encouraged me to start mining so that I can feed my children because begging exposed her to a lot of things.
“We started living in this uncompleted building with others and with my children. Sometimes we make N1,000 and other times we make as much as N8,000 depending on luck.”
Another artisanal miners who gave his name as Jibrin Musa said “Governor Bago does not care whether we are alive or surviving. We are farmers but Boko Haram chased us out of our lands, what did he do?
“We are not lazy people and because we do not want to steal or indulge in attacking people for survival, we decided to do this mining work and it is God-given resources.”
Another artisanal miner who pleaded anonymity told our Correspondent that, the government is chasing the wrong people who are only surviving.
According to him, if the government is sincere about banning mining, let them go to Allawa, Galkogo and other communities and stop those Boko Haram and Bandits’ miners who are making millions of Naira everyday.
“Have you asked yourself and has the government found out why, despite attacks on various communities, those working on mining sites are not attacked,” he questioned.
Government should go and stop those mining companies who are paying royalties to terrorists and not come after us who are seeking for daily survival.”
It should be recalled that claims had it that a Chinese company had plundered at community and other surrounding villages while bribing Bandits believed to be a faction of Boko Haram.
Meanwhile, the officials of the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources had raided several illegal mining sites in Minna the state capital during which seven male illegal miners and several women including breastfeeding mothers were arrested.
The men apprehended were handed over to the police for prosecution while the women were released considering their vulnerability especially those who were nursing mothers or elderly.
In a statement by the Information of the Ministry, Mrs. Maureen Dibie and made available to newsmen, several equipment used for illegal mining were also seized from the illegal miners.
She disclosed that it was discovered that “majority of these miners hailed from Sokoto and other states. Only a few of them are locals.
“This underscores the need for stringent measures to be taken to prevent outsiders from exploiting the region’s mineral resources illegally, which can have detrimental effects on the environment and the local economy.”
She submitted that the “Ministry with the support of the state authorities, remains determined to uphold the law and clamp down on illegal mining operations in Niger State by targeting these illegal activities”.
She further said the government aimed to protect both the natural resources and the communities that depend on them for their livelihoods.
The Mining sites close to El Amin University, M.I Wushishi Estate, Angwan Kompani along Eastern Bypass, Shango and behind the State owned Abdulkadir Kure University of Education have artisanal miners on daily basis especially during the rains.
Top on the list of those arrested include aged women and nursing mothers and children who are mostly of school age.
The state cracked tea was led by the permanent secretary of the ministry Yunusa Nahauni with other top officials backed up by police operatives, Nigerian security and civil defense corpse and the State’s forest hunters.
The raid was extended to the premises of a private owned University El-Amin University, Brighter schools road, T-mama area off Mandela road and Federal Government College staff school where the illegal miners were said to have been excavating without caution.
Speaking with the Dagacin off Maitumbi area, Yusuf Galadima, he said “I am concerned about the increasing involvement of breastfeeding mothers and underage children in illegal mining.
“There are times that these miners clash at mining sites, which have led to the destruction of agricultural land. You can imagine how some of these children’s education has been disrupted.”
Also, the Dagacin of Kaffin-Tela, mallam Suleimain Umar Shaba while acknowledging the negative impact of mining on children said “a higher number of these children are out-of-school and the teenagers amongst them are already potential threats to our community.”
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the American Business Council (ABC) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade relations and addressing bottlenecks affecting business operations through sustained public-private sector engagement.
The resolution was reached during the quarterly meeting held on 16 June 2026 at the Service Headquarters in Abuja, where discussions centred on improving trade facilitation, enhancing security, and promoting stronger economic ties between Nigeria and the United States.
Speaking during the meeting, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Adewale Adeniyi stressed the importance of regular consultations with stakeholders, noting that the engagement would be institutionalised as a permanent feature of the Service’s calendar.
“It is our intention that we will institutionalise this as a permanent feature of the Customs calendar because of the importance we attach to this kind of engagement,” Adeniyi said.
CGC Adeniyi also briefed participants on developments in key trade facilitation initiatives, including the Advance Ruling system, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme, Post Clearance Audit, the B’Odogwu platform, and ongoing improvements in scanning integration and cargo clearance procedures aimed at enhancing operational efficiency.
Members of the American Business Council welcomed the reforms and commended the Service’s efforts, while also calling for quicker mechanisms to address outstanding challenges affecting businesses.
President of the American Business Council, Nneka Enwereji, described the meeting as productive and praised the Customs leadership for its commitment to improving the ease of doing business in the country.
“This session has been phenomenal and demonstrates your commitment to improving ease of doing business. You have raised the bar, and there is a lot that can be learned from this,” she said.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
In collaboration with international partners, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has foiled an attempt to smuggle a large consignment of Tap Tramadol 250mg through the Murtala Muhammed Area Command (MMAC).
The intercepted shipment was formally handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday, 11 June 2026, for further investigation and action.
Speaking during the official handover ceremony, the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller of Customs, Godwin Otunla, noted that the operation reflects the NCS’s sustained efforts to combat the trafficking of controlled substances that pose serious threats to public health and national security.
He commended the officers of the Special WILD Office of the NCS Intelligence Unit for their professionalism and timely intelligence, which played a critical role in the successful interception. He also praised the dedication and teamwork of officers and men involved in the operation.
The CAC further acknowledged the technical support and cooperation received from the United Arab Emirates’ Customs. “Their assistance was instrumental in identifying and intercepting this illegal shipment, further demonstrating the importance of international collaboration in the fight against transnational crime,” he said.
The CAC further reaffirmed the NSC’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency collaboration and intelligence-driven operations in the collective interest of national security.
By David Torough, Abuja
Actor and social commentator Ugezu J. Ugezu, was detained by the Nigeria Police Force following an investigation into an allegedly defamatory social media publication in which he claimed that international businessman and philanthropist Prince (Hon) Daniel Kanu had been arrested, prosecuted and imprisoned in the early 2000s.
The investigation was triggered by a petition filed by Kanu on March 23, 2026, alleging that the Facebook publication contained false and malicious claims intended to damage his reputation.
The petition accused Ugezu of criminal defamation, cyberbullying and cyberstalking, prompting investigators at the Nigerian Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) in Abuja to invite the actor for questioning.
According to our sources, Ugezu honored an invitation from investigators at the NCCC in Abuja on June 3, 2026, where he was questioned over the source of the claims contained in his Facebook post.
During the interrogation, Ugezu allegedly told investigators that the information had been obtained from the internet. However, he was reportedly unable to provide any credible or verifiable source to substantiate the claims when pressed by investigators. He also reportedly stated his intention to apologize to Kanu for the false publication once he was released from police detention, adding that his objective in publishing the post was to advise young people to make responsible life choices.
Police subsequently detained Ugezu after questioning him.
According to accounts from a source that preferred anonymity, the actor was later granted administrative bail, but had to be transferred to the detention facility of the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) after he failed to satisfy the conditions attached to his bail.
Sources close to the matter said that although Ugezu admitted authoring the false publication and later issued an apology following his detention, the statement stopped short of a clear retraction of the allegations or an unequivocal acknowledgment that the publication was false as he had previously admitted during police interrogation.
They maintained that the apology did not sufficiently repair the damage allegedly caused to Kanu’s reputation.As a result, Ugezu has been invited to report to the police in two weeks for further interrogation.
Those familiar with the matter said the action is intended not only to clear Kanu’s name but also to reinforce accountability for the publication of unverified allegations on digital platforms.
In an earlier statement responding to the controversy, Kanu categorically denied ever being arrested, charged, tried or imprisoned in Nigeria or any other jurisdiction. He described the claims circulated on social media as “patently false, malicious and defamatory” and insisted they were part of a deliberate attempt to destroy his reputation.
He also emphasized his record as an entrepreneur and philanthropist with investments and youth empowerment initiatives across Nigeria.
At the time of this report, neither Ugezu nor his representatives could be reached for comments on the investigation.
The dispute adds to growing concerns over the spread of unverified information on Nigeria’s social media space.The investigation remains ongoing.
Our source says the police have assured Prince Kanu that complaints of cyberbullying and related offences are taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated.
They further stated that the outcome of the probe will determine whether additional legal or administrative steps will be taken in connection with Ugezu’s publication.
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