Nigerian Government Evicts Illegal Miners After Fresh Lead Poisoning Outbreak in Zamfara

By Achimi Muktar

In a dramatic move to prevent another public health catastrophe, the Nigerian government has ordered all illegal miners out of Zamfara State, a region notorious for its gold wealth—and its deadly consequences.

The urgent directive comes on the heels of a confirmed outbreak of lead poisoning in Bungudu Local Government Area, raising fears of a repeat of the devastating epidemics that have haunted the state for over a decade.

At the heart of the crisis: illegal artisanal gold mining, a practice that once again threatens to turn prosperity into poison.

Zamfara’s tragic dance with toxic mining began in 2010, when hundreds of children died or were severely poisoned due to lead contamination linked to unregulated mining activities. Despite global outrage and government intervention, the threat never truly went away.

In 2017, another outbreak in Yar-Galma village claimed the lives of more than 300 children under the age of five. Now, in 2025, history appears to be repeating itself in Bungudu — a painful reminder that the lessons of the past have not yet been learned.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, didn’t mince words. In a statement issued through his media aide, Segun Tomori, he declared all illegal mining in Zamfara immediately suspended, with a total halt on all mining activities until further notice.

Alake criticized local leaders for turning a blind eye to the resurgence of unsafe mining practices, just months after the federal government lifted a six-year mining ban in December 2024 — a move meant to revive regulated exploration under strict conditions.

“This outbreak is proof that traditional and local institutions have allowed illegal miners to operate under their watch,” Alake said. “Their negligence has led to another tragedy.”

The minister emphasized that the resumption of mining in Zamfara would be contingent upon the release of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) designed to protect lives and ensure compliance with environmental safety and community development guidelines.

These SOPs, Alake revealed, will cover:

Existing mining license holders

New applicants

Beneficiation and remediation protocols

Satellite surveillance of mining sites

The aim: to prevent further exploitation of communities, ensure environmental safety, and eliminate illegal operations from Nigeria’s mineral-rich regions.

Despite its vast gold deposits, Zamfara has become a tragic case study in how unregulated resource extraction can devastate communities. Mining, when poorly managed, has brought not wealth, but waves of illness and death — particularly among children.

The minister acknowledged the swift action of the Zamfara State Government in deploying emergency response teams to the affected area and called for deeper collaboration between federal and state authorities moving forward.

“We must protect the lives of innocent citizens endangered by the greed of a few,” Alake stressed. “It’s time to cleanse this sector and restore sanity.”

As the federal government prepares to roll out advanced satellite monitoring technology to keep tabs on mining sites nationwide, it’s clear the era of lawless excavation may be drawing to a close.

But for the families in Bungudu and beyond, the scars of lead poisoning run deep — and the road to healing will require more than regulation. It will demand accountability, awareness, and above all, a commitment to putting lives before gold.