The Plateau government on Tuesday threatened to prosecute illegal miners whose activities had become dangerous and detrimental to the environment.
Sani Adubok, commissioner for mineral development, gave the warning in Jos during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“The activities of illegal miners have become a cause of concern to the state government.
“Government will no longer tolerate activities of such miners considering the devastating effects on lives and the environment.
“We shall soon commence arresting and prosecuting offenders.
“We can’t allow people to keep threatening the environment in the name of mining; the state has many unclaimed mining ponds littered around and won’t allow that to continue”, he said.
The commissioner said that peasant miners were being monitored and would face the full wrath of the law.
Adubok particularly decried the damage caused to the land around Kuru, saying that it was affecting farming activities seriously.
