The absence of a ready market for Nigerian artisanal miners to sell their products paved the way for Chinese nationals to take over the illegal mining of gold in the country, investigations by SUNDAY
PUNCH have revealed
About 17 Chinese were recently arrested for engaging in illegal mining of gold in Zamfara and Osun states. However, the latest developments on the matter suggest that the FG may not be able to proceed with the planned prosecution as about 15 Chinese arrested in Osun have yet to be handed over to the police.
Thirty-five million metric tonnes of unprocessed solid minerals are reportedly exported from Nigeria yearly, and the government believes it is losing revenue from the development, as the commodities would have fetched more if they were processed and converted into products before they are shipped from the country.
However, while the government is moving to check the Chinese and other foreigners who engage in smuggling, investigations by our correspondent showed that Nigerian artisanal miners view the activities of the Chinese as a welcome development in the sector. He said, “The artisanal miners operate on the basis of hand to mouth, so when they mine and get products but there is nobody to buy what they produce, they will go hungry.
He said, “The reality today is that nobody can access any of the remote mining destinations – there is insecurity everywhere. Katsina, however, blamed the government for failing to stop the smuggling of gold and other minerals out of the country.
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