Mining activities worsened insecurity in Plateau, says Reps Deputy Speaker, Wase

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase has lamented the high rate of insecurity in his Wase Federal Constituency of Plateau State, stressing that mining activities is the root cause that has increased criminality in his Constituency.

Wase who is also the member representing Wase Federal Constituency stated this while addressing Journalists at his residence in Jos on Monday and assured that the Federal Government is taking measures to tackling the security challenges occasioned by banditry and insurgency across the country.

“The role of government is to protect lives and properties, we shall continue to do our best to ensure that this insecurity challenges in my zone is tackled.”

The lawmaker noted that the mining activities has worsened the level of insecurity challenges such and banditry and other criminality not only Wase local government council, but the whole country.

“Where ever there are mining activities ,there are always acts of criminality because of the movement of drugs, and the root cause of all bandits in my constituency has links with Mining activities which has increased criminality in the country”.

Our Correspondent reports that communities in Wase local government council of Plateau state has in the last two Months come under attacks by bandits leading to the killings of several innocent villagers

Wase who is serving his fourth term in the National Assembly also disclosed that, the Federal Government of Nigeria has vindicated him after he raised an alarm during the past administration that, the ongoing mining activities in Wase (his Constituency) is attracting criminality and banditry and was ignored.

Wase lamented the acts of illegal mining activities in his Constituency, stressing that the insecurity challenges did not start in one day.

“Sometimes ago during the 8th Assembly i raised a motion on the floor of the Federal house of representatives calling on the Federal government to look into the activities of illegal mining in my constituency but was ignored, now i have been vindicated by the present position of the Federal government who is considering a ban on illegal mining in order to tackle insecurity”

“We should learn from Zamfara, citizens of our communities should learn to give information to security operatives . Most of this criminals stay within our communities ,in as much as some security agencies are conniving with bandits to sabotage the effort of the government to tackle bandits,

“We must work to tackle criminal elements in our communities, government is taking serious measures, we would not allow our people to be attacked and killed on daily basis as a Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, I am working with the Federal government and other relevant agencies to tackle insecurity in our zone.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government had recently proposed a ban on mining activities across the country as a way to curb deteriorating insecurity situation.

The proposed ban was part of resolutions by the National Security Council during its meeting recently.