[OPINION] Is Zamfara Crisis a Battle for Gold Mines?

Picture of a gold mining site

By Chinedu Nnanuba

I have a reliable report from Zamfara state, that the crisis going on in the state is caused by cartels over who will control the gold mines in the state.

The federal government is fully aware of this but would rather confuse people by blaming farmers, herdsmen and hunters etc.

Many people don’t know; what we see is fighting, killing, and all the rest. But the undermining issue there is the illegal mining – illegal mining of minerals.

According to Dennis Amachree, a former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), "the kind of money that is coming out of the illegal mining is more than what oil is giving us today.”

The security expert described the situation as “a big market” in which natural resources such as gold and diamond were carted out of the country illegally.

The crisis is sponsored by foreigners (mainly Chinese and Arabs), Business men (women), local Chiefs, politicians etc.

If the northern elites weren't greedy about Crude Oil and allowed states to manage their resources through restructuring, Zamfara state government would have taken a hold of its resources and would have been one of the richest states in the country today.

Northern Youths, I hope you are learning from the mistakes of your fathers.