Gov Matawalle’s Hidden Secrets of Zamfara Gold
…How 260g of Gold was found in Aide’s Residence
…As Bandits, Gold Miners Overwhelms Sauna Village
By Maryam Musa
The development of last week in Gusau the Zamfara State capital has shown the unwillingness and insincerity of both the Zamfara State Government and the state Police Command in addressing the raising cases of illegal gold mining in the state which has been proven beyond all reasonable doubts as the main source of insecurity and wanton killings in the troubled state.
Precisely after the exclusive edition of DESERT HERALD last week that exposed some of the top gladiators of illegal mining in the state, on the instruction of Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle, the state Police Command embarked on yet another series of arrests where about fifty people were reportedly arrested for allegedly engaging in illegal gold mining and transactions of the rich mineral deposits.
Ironically however, out of the dozens of arrests that were effected previously and even that of last week, the Police in Zamfara were not able to make any high profile arrest despite glaring facts and evidences that high profile individuals including allegedly government officials and some of those closed to the government are the main sponsors and beneficiaries of illegal gold mining in the state.
DESERT HERALD findings revealed that virtually all the suspects that were arrested by the police last week in connection with the mining scandal are either labourers that were hired by the exploiters of Zamfara gold or small scale vendors that engaged in the business of buying and selling of gold as a desperate means of survival.
While Governor Matawalle had earlier gave reasons why his government is buying the illegal gold even though his reasons are shallow, unconvincing and did not at all justify his decision, Zamfara citizens are still at lost about their Governor’s sense of reasoning if at all his claims are sincere.
Mr. Matawalle had said that the reason why his government is buying the illegal gold is to prevent it from reaching the hands of armed bandits even though as the chief security officer of the state the Governor knows very well that if possessing the gold by bandits will cause insecurity the best thing to do is to identify all the mining sites and terminate all illegal mining or at best to identify the real owners and sponsors of illegal mining in the state as the government knows very well those powerful individuals that are engaged in exploiting the gold deposits.
Pundits are however unanimous that Mr. Matawalle and indeed the Police in Zamfara are arresting the wrong people and deliberately using them as scapegoats.
Former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar in an interview has urged citizens of the state to asked questions regarding the increasing insecurity in the state despite what he referred to as ridiculous and unacceptable security expenditure running into billions of naira in less than two years by the incumbent Governor.
Mr. Yari, sources revealed, is of the opinion that Governor Matawalle’s reason of buying the illegal gold as a means of containing the current spate of insecurity in the state is suspicious and that buying the gold will only encourage activities of illegal miners and that there is no way such action can stop cases of attacks, kidnappings and other criminal activities that has ravaged the state and its poor citizens.
He also corroborated the findings of DESERT HERALD that the state has indeed engaged in arresting the wrong people as culprits of illegal mining insisting that the action is diversionary and meant to distract and divert the attention of Zamfara people from knowing the actual culprits.
An APC Chieftain in the state who prefers not to be mentioned told DESERT HERALD that Governor Matawalle knows very well the beneficiaries of illegal gold mining in the state. He openly accused the Governor of being among the beneficiaries of illegal gold mining in the state and stated categorically that the Governor is the one fuelling the crisis of insecurity in the state and described gold mining as the main reason why kidnappings and killings persist in the state.
He urged Governor Matawalle to be sincere in addressing the security crisis in the state, to fear Allah, to put his interest aside in other to avoid letting of innocent blood.
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The Untold Story of Sauna Village as a Gold Haven
By Mike Odeh James
Little is known about the village of Sauna in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state till armed men attacked and killed many of the villagers in 2018.
Unfortunately, findings by DESERT HERALD revealed that a state of insecurity, fear and palpable anger still exist in Sauna and its environs due to the activities of illegal miners. While billions of naira in gold value are being extracted illegally from the village, the people of Sauna remained one of the poorest with absence of basic necessities of life including access to quality education, water and health services.
Because of the battle to control or divert the gold that are being extracted, this year alone, Sauna village and environs have suffered series of attacks by bandits and kidnappers.
One resident, Habu Sauna told DESERT HERALD reporter that the Sarkin Fulani in Sauna was fatally attacked and abducted by kidnappers, three other persons were also killed in one single attack this year.
In an effort to investigate further, this paper has visited Matsafa, Gazamna, Gwale, Tabkin Rama,Tudun Namale and Kasara. In all the places that were visited by this reporter the lamentable story was not different from what Habu Sauna told the correspondent.
At Tudun Namale, one Mallam Isiaka Mano said, “As a farmer, I cannot go to the farm anymore for fear of being harassed or molested that is if I am not kidnapped or killed. The bandits are everywhere especially this harvest period. If you venture go out to the farm, say your last prayer, anything can happen”, he added.
Still at Tudun Namale, Ibrahim Abbas further reinforced Habu’s assertion that bandits and kidnappers are making lives unbearable for villagers.
He said that, “We have to pay taxes to bandits, hoodlums and kidnappers to ensure that they don’t attack or kidnap our wives, parents or children. What the government is claiming is not true. Insecurity is worse here”.
When DESERT HERALD correspondent visited Gazamna, the village looked dry as villagers have chosen to remain indoors for fear of being attacked. Evidences of food crisis is glaring.
Few of those that spoke to DESERT HERALD said that they now have to pay bandits for them to move freely to their farmlands .
The stories are almost similar in Gwale,Tabkin Rama just to mention a few.
The bottom line is that communities around Sauna are experiencing high rate of insecurity and residents have to pay for their safety.
According to one of the villagers, DESERT HERALD correspondent spoke to, a resident of Sauna village Suleiman Abdul, he said, “Kidnapping in Sauna is now a lucrative business. The hoodlums would come in the dark wielding cutlasses, guns and cudgels ask for ransom and in some cases go away with people then ask that a certain amount be paid or they would execute their hostage”, Abdul lamented.
One of the most troubling acts of the bandits was the way the District Head of Sauna Village was kidnapped. According to Umar Tsoho, the bandits came in the night wielding guns and machetes and snatched the elderly man away.
The abductors later contacted the villagers that the family of District Head must bring the sum of N10 million if they want to see their father alive.
Mallam Tsoho also revealed that as of the time he fled Sauna for Gusau, the District Head has not being released. Some have even said that he has been killed. Since the abduction there is no word from the state government. “Before, I left the village, the old man was not released and the state government did not do anything about the kidnapped old man”, he added.
“What even pains us the most is that the State Government is simply quiet about the happenings in Sauna. That is why we all believe that they are benefiting from the illegal activities that is going on here. It is very simple for the Governor to restore sanity here if he so wishes.
The moment he stopped the activities of illegal miners which is the source of the crisis, we will have peace. If these hoodlums kidnap your family member, they ask you to pay, the state Government would abandon you to negotiate with them”, Tsoho said.
Attempts by DESERT HERALD correspondent to get to the family of the District Head who was kidnapped failed as family members were said to have relocated to either the state capital or to Sokoto for safety.
However, some other villagers are also pointing accusing fingers at the state government officials whom they alleged have through their activities indirectly invited kidnappers and bandits into the village.
According to credible sources and as earlier reported by this paper, the Sole Administration of Talata Mafara, Alhaji Abubakar Musa Mai Nera have for some times now been engaged in illegal mining activities in Sauna village. His activities according to the villagers is being backed by the government that is why according to them he has become virtually untouchable.
According to our source, Mai Nera using his power as the Local Government Administrator, seized lands thought to be rich in gold deposits from villagers, then deployed illegal miners to the sites to prospect for gold.
The villagers further revealed that most of the illegal miners are not from Sauna or even from neighboring villages.
Also, one Suleiman acknowledged that he is one of those whose farm land was illegally seized by the sole administrator, he however declined to speak further, adding that at the appropriate time, he would speak out.
Few months back this paper also spoke to a businessman based in Gusau, he had at that time alleged that his gold mine at Sauna village was also sized by Alhaji Abubakar Musa Mai Nera.
The businessman then threatened legal action against Mai Nera.
All attempts by DESERT HERALD to get the Sole Administrator to speak proved futile as he insisted that this reporter was calling a wrong number when he was contacted. Similarly text messages to his mobile number remained unanswered.
As a result of the pressure on the state government and the growing allegations about its culpability in benefiting from the gold mining and its proceeds, DESERT HERALD learnt that a meeting was recently held at the office of the Chief Security Officer to Governor Bello Matawalle, where Alhaji Abubakar Musa Mai Nera and one Alhaji Aminu Ardo Jangebe were asked to refund the sum of N18 Million each as proceeds from their illegal mining activities in Sauna.
No action was taking against them despite the order of refund which by implication has confirmed their role in illegal gold mining in the state which former Governor Yari said the state government or precisely Governor Matawalle knows so much about the illegal mining and the actual beneficiaries.
This paper can also report that 260 grams pure gold worth N300 million was recovered from the residence of the Sole Administrator of Talata Mafara but he was instead asked to refund only N18 million.
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Hon Aminu Ardo Jangebe Connection
A member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aminu Ardo Jangebe is not from Sauna nor is Sauna within his constituency, however, multiple sources revealed that Hon. Jangebe and Mai Nera have appropriated farmlands belonging to Sauna villagers without due process to further boost their illegal mining activities.
The sources also said initially, the state Government turned a blind eye to the activities of Jangebe and Mai Nera but as the cries from the villagers got more louder and newspaper report from DESERT HERALD circulates wider, the state Government had to quickly intervene albeit suspiciously and in a manner that further suggests their alleged culpability on the disturbing issue.
Zamfara state is a state rich in mineral deposits such as gold, copper, manganese and it is also agriculturally fertile but it’s been ravaged by insecurity, banditry, kidnapping and killings as a result of inaction from the government and greed to accumulate more even at the expense of human lives.
Sauna village which is located in Talata Marafa Local Government Area of Zamfara is richly endowed with mineral deposits such as gold and manganese.
Unfortunately, rather than use the resources to develop the state, top government officials are cashing in on the illiteracy of land owners and farmers to illegally confiscate their lands and bring in foreigners from Niger Republic to perpetuate illegal mining.
This situation has further fueled the insecurity in the state and Sauna village.
As of the time of filing this report, Sauna inhabitants are unsure of whether to remain in Sauna or to flee as many have since relocated.
All attempt by this reporter to get top Zamfara government officials to speak on the matter and the allegations against the government was unsuccessful as they either refused to pick calls and could not respond to text message.
The next part of this report will reveal more about the politics and manipulations of gold mining in Zamfara and how the Governor deceived the occupants of Aso Rock about the real secrets of Zamfara gold and the actual beneficiaries.
