What began as a marriage of convenience between illegal miners and bandits in Zamfara State has ended in bloodshed, with 19 miners brutally gunned down and four others abducted at a mining site in Gobirwa Chali Village, Bindin District of Maru Local Government Area.
The deadly betrayal unfolded around 6:00 p.m. on April 24, 2025, when heavily armed bandits stormed the site, opening fire indiscriminately and shattering the fragile pact that once shielded the miners. Intelligence sources confirmed to Zagazola Makama that the attack left a trail of corpses, injuries, and terror.
Troops from Operation FANSAN YANMA swiftly moved into the area to stabilise the situation and hunt down the perpetrators.
Sources revealed that dozens of illegal mining camps across Zamfara and the wider North-West operate under shadowy alliances with bandit groups, paying protection fees or royalties to continue their activities unhindered. But the same sources warned that these dangerous deals are a ticking time bomb.
“Bandits protect these miners for hefty payments or a cut of the proceeds. But once money, loyalty, or trust is disputed, the alliances collapse — often violently,” a top intelligence officer explained.
He added: “That’s why certain powerful mining sites never get attacked — they have secured the loyalty of bandits for years.”
Security analysts say the bloodbath underscores the urgent need for the government to dismantle illegal mining operations, which serve as a major funding source for armed groups terrorising the region.
“Illegal mining doesn’t just fuel violence; it finances atrocities,” a security expert said. “Unless this cycle is broken, peace will remain a distant dream for Zamfara and the entire North-West.”
Although the federal government recently lifted the mining ban in Zamfara, experts warn that without stringent regulation and enforcement, criminal exploitation will persist.
“The root causes of the mining ban have not been addressed. Who will ensure that bandits don’t hijack this renewed mining activity? As it stands, nothing has changed,” the expert concluded grimly.
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