Niger Has Gold on Its Streets After Heavy Rain, Governor Bago Says

Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has said the state is richly endowed with alluvial gold deposits, claiming that gold can be found on the streets in some parts of the state after heavy rainfall.

Bago made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he discussed illegal mining activities and the difficulties faced by authorities in regulating the sector.

The governor said Niger State currently does not have a comprehensive database of illegal miners, making it difficult for authorities to determine exactly who is involved in mining activities across the state.

He said the government plans to profile licensed miners and establish a clearer record of operators as part of efforts to improve security and regulation.

“For illegal mining, there’s no database. So these people who are licensed would come forward for profiling because we want to know who is mining in Niger State, and that is because we need to maintain the security of our land,” Bago said.

According to the governor, the problem extends beyond artisanal miners because some people are carrying out mining activities in locations where such operations are not legally permitted.

Bago explained that the availability of alluvial gold in the state makes it easier for people to identify and exploit deposits without proper authorisation.

“Niger State is endowed, we have alluvial gold everywhere. When it rains heavily, you can pick gold on the street, that is given,” he said.

He said people then identify areas where larger quantities of gold deposits are believed to exist and begin mining without the necessary registration or approval.

“These people will find a place where you have a huge quantity of this alluvial deposit, and they will try to start mining. And this is why they are illegal because they are not registered by law,” Bago said.

The governor added that some of the operators were not registered with mining associations and that there was no reliable directory through which the government could establish the identities of those operating at various mining locations.

Bago’s comments come amid renewed scrutiny of illegal mining in Niger State following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

The detainees were arrested during anti-illegal mining operations in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state on September 15 and 16. Bago said 67 artisanal and suspected illegal miners had been detained before 37 died.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation. Bago previously said possible suffocation caused by overcrowding and exposure to hazardous substances associated with mining were among the factors being examined, while stressing that the scientific cause of death had not been established.

The Federal Government has suspended the Niger State NSCDC commandant and 20 other officers pending investigations, while a 10-member independent committee has been constituted to examine the arrests, detention conditions, deaths and possible responsibility.

The Niger State Government has also suspended mining activities across the state pending the outcome of investigations into the incident.

Bago’s latest comments highlight the wider regulatory challenge facing the state as authorities attempt to identify mining operators, distinguish licensed activities from illegal operations and improve oversight of mineral-rich areas.