Governor Hyacinth Alia has suspended all mining activities in Benue until miners’ data has been compiled.

Mr Alia gave the directive when he met with the Miners Association of Nigeria, Benue Chapter members in Makurdi.

He also directed the Mineral Resources and Environment Management Committee (MIREMCO) to begin documenting data of all miners immediately.

Mr Alia said the decision to conduct the revalidation exercise was due to reports of security threats.

The governor frowned upon the contamination of water sources for residents in the affected areas, especially in Kwande.

Mr Alia urged security agencies and the joint task force on illegal mining to ensure that the right thing was done to enhance the well-being of the people and increase the internally generated revenue.

“The state government will not tolerate any illegality. It is our administration’s prerogative to protect lives and property of the people,” he said.

Commissioner for Justice and Public Order Fidelis Mnyim said Mr Alia was not against mining but wanted to check illegal Mining activities.

Mr Mnyim, the chairman of MIREMCO, said Benue had devised a checklist to scrutinise the mining sector.

The chair of the Benue miners’ association, John Tersugh, promised to cooperate with the governor to sanitise the mining sector.

Simon Ogwu, a Federal Ministry of Mining and Solid Minerals official, promised to support the state government in sanitising the mining sector in Benue.

Two miners, Benjamin Nyior and Dennis Tarhemba, called for a conducive working environment to enable them to carry out their activities effectively.

Some association members appealed to the governor to address the issue of multiple taxes within the industry and provide necessary mining equipment to assist them in the field and contribute to Benue’s revenue profile.

(NAN)