… Demands halt, govt urgent action
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Renevlyn Development Initiative has raised the alarm over devastating effects of unchecked mining activities in Abuni community, Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, calling for immediate halt to destruction of farmlands, environmental pollution, and exploitation of vulnerable community members.
Renevlyn outlined how Multiverse Mining Company, a Chinese firm, alongside other unlicensed miners, has wreaked havoc on the local population, noting that these mining activities have severely damaged the farmlands that serve as the primary source of livelihood for the residents.
Abuni, a predominantly farming community with a population of about 2,000 people, has become a focal point for mining operations due to its rich deposits of solid minerals such as lead, copper, zinc, and the recently discovered lithium.
Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative, Mr Phillips Jakpor, in the report explained that farmlands in Abuni community were now producing poorly due to the pollution from waste discharge by the mining company, as the waste was affecting the soil quality and the overall ecosystem.
Jakpor recounted reports from the locals that the chemical discharge from the company’s channeler has caused significant health problems, including the deaths of nine children.
“More troubling is the pollution of River Rafin Jaki, which the locals depend on for drinking water, fishing, and other daily needs. The wastewater discharged by the mining operations has turned the river into a toxic hazard. The water is so contaminated that the locals can no longer use it for bathing, let alone drinking. The river is the lifeblood of this community, and now it’s killing them,” he lamented.
Renevlyn noted that a local group known as Concerned Awe Youths, took water samples from the river to a laboratory in Kaduna for analysis, and the results confirmed that the water was heavily polluted with hazardous chemicals.
“Despite these findings, efforts by the locals to get the mining company to address the issue have been futile. The company has told the locals that they only answer to the state government, not the community,” Jakpor said, adding that attempts to engage the state government have so far yielded no results.
Renevlyn’s report also criticized Nasarawa state government and local leaders for their failure to protect the community, and accused the miners of using a divide-and-rule strategy, gaining access to the community’s resources by co-opting local leaders with periodic gifts.
“There is no clear evidence of any formal agreement between the mining firms and the local community, but there are strong indications that some local chiefs are benefiting from the proceeds of the mining operations.
“The government and local leaders have been complicit in allowing these firms to exploit Abuni’s resources while the people suffer,” Jakpor added, emphasizing the need for accountability and transparency in the agreements reached with mining companies.
The influx of miners into the community has also led to rising insecurity, according to Renevlyn, a potential repeat of the crisis in Zamfara State, where unregulated mining activities fueled banditry and kidnappings was looming.
He noted that such incidents were unheard of before the mining operations began, stressing that the lack of proper regulation and monitoring has created fertile ground for criminal activities. “If the government does not act soon, we risk descending into the kind of chaos that has engulfed parts of Zamfara,” he warned.
The group advised the Nasarawa State Government to take full responsibility for the current situation and immediately halt all destructive mining activities in Abuni and other affected communities.
Other recommendations include “Immediate cessation of mining activities in Abuni, Uke, and surrounding areas. Revocation of the mining licenses of the Chinese firms and their local accomplices. Prosecution of mining company officials and government officers responsible for monitoring failures.
“Mapping of affected areas beyond designated mining sites, with appropriate compensation for the impacted locals. Environmental audits to assess the full impact of the mining on water bodies, farmlands, and local health.
“Rehabilitation programs for young girls who have been lured into the sex trade by the mining firms. Restoration of the degraded environment through sustainable practices and compensatory efforts for the affected farmlands.
“The Nasarawa State government must act decisively to prevent further loss of life and environmental degradation. We call for the prosecution of those responsible and for measures to rehabilitate the damaged ecosystem and the community,” Mr. Jakpor concluded.
Mr. Jakpor highlighted the severe social impact of the mining operations, describing how the miners have exploited the vulnerable population of Abuni. “Underage children are being employed in hazardous mining activities, while young girls are being lured into prostitution by the miners,” he said.
He cited cases where miners, some of whom are armed with the help of security personnel and thugs, have used gifts like money and phones to entice girls as young as 13 into sexual relationships.
“One such case involved a Chinese merchant, identified as Tang, who impregnated a young girl from the community. Tang not only got this young girl pregnant but also forced her to live with him at the mining site, away from her family,” Jakpor revealed, illustrating the depth of exploitation taking place in Abuni.
“The exploitation is compounded by the fact that many of these girls, who should be in school, have no access to education, further trapping them in cycles of poverty and abuse.”
Parents in Abuni community, like Mrs Fatima Musa, have expressed their anguish. “My daughter no longer listens to me. She has been caught up in the prostitution brought about by the mining activities. The miners have taken advantage of our poverty and destroyed our children’s futures,” she said.
Grace Lorfa, another resident, lamented how the miners have turned young girls into “sex machines” with little regard for their well-being. “The situation is dire. These miners have corrupted our daughters, and any attempt by parents to intervene results in the girls leaving home altogether to stay in the mining camps,” she added.
