Within Plateau's Mineral Extraction Areas, Scenes of Brutal Confrontations and Fatalities Unfold

In Plateau State, the extraction of minerals, intended to boost the economy, has instead brought sorrow and regret to rural residents, as those involved in illicit mining activities disregard regulations, putting lives and property at risk.

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Rich in mineral deposits, Plateau State is home to various mining sites, with prominent minerals including tin, columbite, kaolin, granite, marble, gypsum, quartz, barite, lead, zinc, iron ore, gemstones, topaz, amethyst, coal, clay, pyrochlore, monazite, and fluorite, many of which remain under-exploited or targeted by illegal miners.

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Tin and columbite are the dominant minerals, due to their economic importance and long mining history, while the state's geology supports a wide range of industrial, metallic, and precious minerals.

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Illegal mining has long provided livelihoods for youths in communities such as Bassa, Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Mangu, and Wase local government councils of the state, with many hiding under the cover of darkness to mine, defying official government bans.

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This illicit practice has become commonplace in rural communities, exposing them to prime targets for bandits and armed groups, and has led to the mining sites becoming hotspots for violence, with many youths becoming casualties during frequent clashes.

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On January 22, 2026, suspected bandits attacked an illegal mining site in the Capitex area of Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area, killing seven young miners, with none of the attackers arrested or identified by security agencies.

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Prior to this incident, on December 16, 2025, unknown gunmen attacked a mining site in Ratoso Fan community in Barkin Ladi LGA, killing at least 12 miners, injuring many, and abducting three others, while making away with some of the mined minerals.

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Rural communities in Wase Local Government Area, known for their rich mineral deposits, frequently come under attack by gunmen, with similar attacks reported in rural communities in Bokkos LGA, resulting in the killing of several persons in recent months.

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Beyond the problem of attacks by militias, the fragile nature of the mines poses a serious threat to lives, with many cases of mines collapsing on poor villagers searching for minerals, including an incident in September 2025, where at least four illegal miners perished in Dura community of Jos South LGA.

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In November 2024, 13 miners, mostly young men aged 18-30, died when an artisanal mining site collapsed in Bassa LGA, highlighting the dangers of illegal mining activities.

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Security agencies in the state have vowed to enforce relevant laws, with the GOC in charge of 3rd Division in Plateau State, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, expressing concerns about recent developments and warning those involved in illegal mining to desist or face the full weight of the law.

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Oyinlola called for the reinforcement of community-based conflict resolution mechanisms and the development of a community-driven code of conduct for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Mangu, while urging stakeholders to improve early warning mechanisms to alert security agencies to security threats.

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Governor Caleb Mutfwang has taken steps to tackle illegal mining, kidnappings, and other related issues, including signing Executive Order 001 in February 2025, suspending all mining activities across the state, and inaugurating a Technical Committee on Artisanal Mining to review the sector.

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By May 2025, the state had cleared and granted resumption approval to about 159 mining companies that met regulatory standards, while maintaining the ban on uncleared or illegal operators, but challenges persist as some youths continue to engage in illegal mining, especially at night.

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A young miner, Mancha Yaro, 18, from Jos South LGA, admitted to engaging in illegal mining as a survival strategy, citing severe economic hardship, lack of viable alternatives for livelihood, and high unemployment rates as the reasons why many youths are involved in the activity.

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Dr. Kehinde Ogunmola, a lecturer at the Department of Geology, University of Jos, attributed the frequent mine collapses in Plateau to the use of rudimentary tools and disregard for safety standards, which lead to fatal accidents, often due to loose, sandy, or weathered soil that is prone to sudden collapse.

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Mr. Jude Ajang, a Geologist, highlighted the dangers of abandoned mining ponds, which have claimed the lives of children and expose communities to severe environmental and health dangers, with residents reporting regular incidents of children falling into these deep, water-filled ponds.

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The Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Joyce Ramnap, explained that necessary steps are being taken to address the challenges and ensure the protection of lives and property by the state government.