Stop Licensing Mineral Miners in Zamfara, Nigeria: Public Commentator Calls for Action

Ahmad Bakare, a public commentator in Zamfara State, Nigeria, has urged the federal government to stop issuing mining licenses for solid minerals. Bakare believes that these licenses are a major contributor to the state’s ongoing insecurity, providing avenues for bandits to operate. He asserts that many of the known terrorists are not from Zamfara, and believes that revoking mining licenses, both legal and illegal, would effectively curb the insecurity. Banditry remains a persistent problem in Zamfara, with frequent reports of killings and kidnappings despite security efforts.