The Kano State Ministry of Solid Minerals and Natural Resources has issued a strong directive to local miners, prohibiting encroachment on village settlements during mining operations.
The warning came during an inspection visit to Zainabi village in Doguwa Local Government Area, where officials assessed environmental damage caused by artisanal mining activities near residential communities.
Sha’aya’u Jibrin, Director of Environmental Protection, Control, and Safety, led the inspection team and ordered immediate cessation of mining near inhabited areas. He mandated miners to begin land reclamation efforts, requiring them to backfill excavated sites with appropriate soil materials.
The directive, according to ministry spokesperson Adamu Ibrahim Dabo, aims to restore degraded lands for agricultural use, including the planting of economic trees that would provide sustainable benefits to residents.
Commissioner Hamza Safiyanu Kachako acknowledged the environmental challenges stemming from informal mining practices but expressed optimism about upcoming reforms.
“The expected entry of formal investors into the sector will help regulate operations and create better outcomes for host communities,” Kachako stated. The commissioner emphasised that while mining remains an important economic activity, it must not compromise environmental integrity or community wellbeing.
The ministry’s intervention follows growing concerns about the ecological impact of unregulated mining across northern Nigeria, where activities often lead to land degradation and water pollution.
Officials stressed that compliance with environmental guidelines would be strictly enforced to protect both rural settlements and the long-term viability of mining operations in the state. The measures form part of broader efforts to balance mineral resource exploitation with sustainable land use practices in Kano State.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
