The Nation Newspaper Inside Bauchi’s illegal mining hub
Poverty has pushed many Bauchi State residents to engage in illegal mining activities, defying the dangers and restrictions imposed by the state government on illegal mining.The locals work all day, extracting the mined sand locally called Monazite minerals.Mining is the primary means of livelihood for rural dwellers in Rafin-Kayan community located on the outskirts of Bauchi metropolis.
The young girl, who was busy searching for monazite at a nearby stream when our reporter approached her, said she normally gave her mother half of the money, which she uses in providing food for them at home. Residents collect the monazite and sell to local companies, who separate it from the sand. The price of monazite ranges from N4,000 per kg to N3,300, depending on dollar rate.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics , over $9 billion is lost every other year as a result of illegal mining activities in the country.As part of efforts to tackle illegal mining, the Bauchi State Government banned the issuance of consent letters to prospective investors in the mining sector without due approval.
In August last year, at least four illegal miners were confirmed dead after a mining pit collapsed in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Similarly, in January 2024, four women reportedly lost their lives in Bauchi State as a mining pit collapsed in the Gudum Sayawa suburb of Bauchi metropolis, while several others sustained injuries at the site located 800 metres from the community.
Living in Abuja, Nandet rushed back home upon hearing about the incident during her visit for Christmas and her brother’s wedding.Despite the tragedy, she expressed support for mining activities, citing the difficult circumstances they were facing, adding: “You cannot go and beg.” Another resident, Habila Zaki, said that poor harvests and poverty had pushed them to indulge in illegal mining.
Corroborating Zaki, one of the miners, Ayuba Ibrahim, said illegal mining to them is a means of survival. Ibrahim, who happens to be a graduate, said since graduating from the university six year ago, it has been difficult for him to get a job. “We don’t know if the money we paid is going to the state government directly, but there are agencies collecting N1,000 per bag from us.
This reliance on contaminated water sources has persisted for over a decade due to severe water scarcity. Yunusa Abdullahi, the community head of Rafin Kaya Dandango Ward, in an interview with our reporter, said residents are being taken to Jitar primary health care centre, which is quite far from the community, where they are often tested for typhoid and other water borne diseases.
But the State Commissioner Ministry of Water Resources, Hon. Abdulrazaq Nuhu Zaki assured that the government is set to purchase new power transformers that supply power to water stations in a move to address the challenges being faced with water supply in the metropolis. “The Gubi Dam Water Treatment Plant relies on electricity to pump water to Bauchi metropolis. The power transformers at the substation have been developing problems which in turn have been affecting water supply to the metropolis,” Zaki said.
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