North-East Govs Decry Rising Banditry, Illegal Mining

Governors of the North-East have lamented the rising spate of banditry in the region just as it accused traditional rulers and local authorities in the six states of collaborating with the bandits to cause mayhem among innocent citizens.

The governors under the auspices of the North-East Governors’ Forum stated this in a communique issued at the end of their 8th Meeting which was held in Maiduguri, Borno State on Saturday, September 9th, 2023.

According to the communique which was signed and read by the Forum’s Chairman and Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, they said the rising banditry in the region was due to the aggressive military operations against them in other parts of the country.

They specifically mentioned Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba States as becoming a safe haven for the terrorists.

It added that the proliferation of legal and illegal mining in the region is becoming a problem, noting that there is a link between mining activities and insecurity, especially the abuse of the mining leases.

The forum, therefore, called on the respective governments to enforce compliance with the provisions of local consent as contained in Nigeria’s Mining Policy and reiterated its call for strict compliance with the provisions of the Land Use Act.

Those in attendance at the meeting include the governors of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe; while the governors of Gombe and Taraba were represented by their deputies.