Niger Gov’t Shuts Down Zuzungi Mine for Two Weeks After Illegal Dealers Kill Security Officer

The Niger State Government has clamped down on mining activities in the Katcha Local Government Area, ordering the immediate closure of the Zuzungi Kataeregi mining site. The directive, issued on Friday, follows a deadly ambush by illegal mineral dealers that left one security officer dead and a patrol vehicle in ashes.

The Ministry of Mineral Resources, in a stern statement by Permanent Secretary Idris Legbo, characterized the incident as more than just a skirmish, it was a “direct assault on lawful authority.” The violence reportedly flared up after security operatives intercepted a cache of minerals being moved by unregistered dealers who have persistently infiltrated the licensed site to poach products from artisanal miners.

“This is criminal and unacceptable,” Legbo stated. “The Zuzungi Kataeregi site is a duly licensed and legally recognized operation. These illegal dealers are not only robbing the state and legitimate companies of their rightful benefits but are now resorting to murder to protect their illicit trades.”

The two-week shutdown is intended to act as a “cooling-off” period to restore a State of Harmony at the site. During this time, security agencies have been mandated to flush out all unregistered entities and ensure that only authorized personnel remain within the mining perimeters.

The government has expressed its deepest condolences to the family of the slain officer, vowing that his sacrifice will not be in vain. For the artisanal miners caught in the middle, the Ministry has urged calm, stressing that the sanitization process is necessary to protect them from the “shadow economy” of illegal dealers that has brought violence to their doorstep.