By Adadainfo
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, Thursday, ordered the immediate suspension of all illegal mining activities taking place in some parts of the state.
The governor gave the order when he had an emergency security interface with stakeholders drawn from Kwande local government area over illegal mining of gold in the area.
Governor Ortom warned that illegal mining poses security and environmental threats to not just Kwande but the entire state if allowed to fester.
He therefore revoked all rights granted to mining racketeers by some communities within Benue State territory, warning that anyone caught indulging in or abating illegal mining activities will be prosecuted.
The governor said that although mining in the exclusive list is controlled by the Federal Government, the lands where mining would be done were held by the governor in trust for the people of state, emphasising that due process must be followed in carrying out mining.
Governor Ortom said prospective licensed miners would be adequately profiled before they be allowed to carry out any mining activity in the state to check the infiltration of criminal elements.
He commended the Kwande local government council chairman, Hon Orjiir Gbande, for being alert and drawing his attention to the security and environmental threats posed by the illegal mining activities in the Turan and Kyurav axis of the local government.
The governor cautioned traditional rulers from the area to refrain from unlawfully ceding lands to prospective miners, stressing that only the state government had the rights to approve lands for use by anyone for such purpose.
He urged the elites to get involved and sensitize their communities on the impending dangers of allowing unauthorized persons access to their communities for the purpose of mining.
