The House of Representatives has expressed concerns about the increasing number of local and foreign illegal miners in Benue State.
The legislative body warned that if this situation is not addressed, Benue could become a hotspot for banditry, similar to Zamfara State where illegal gold mining resulted in heightened insecurity.
As a result, the House called on the National Security Adviser and security agencies to assess the security situation in the Middle Belt and the Nigerian-Cameroonian Border areas in Benue.
The lawmakers also urged the security agencies to take urgent and proactive measures to prevent further deterioration of peace and security in the region.
The House passed this resolution following the adoption of a motion on the need for immediate intervention in the Nigeria-Cameroon refugee crisis, as well as banditry and environmental pollution caused by gold mining in Kwande Local Government of Benue State.
The motion was presented during the plenary session on Tuesday by Terseer Ugbor.
In his motion, Ugbor highlighted that Kwande LGA shares borders with Cameroon to the North, Cross River to the East, and Taraba to the West.
He pointed out that Cameroonian refugees, who initially settled in Menev Ward before relocating to Ikyogen Cattle Ranch, have been residing there for over five years. Currently, their population exceeds 12,000 as they continue to reproduce, expand, and integrate into Nigerian society.
Ugbor emphasized that in recent days, 16 individuals have died in conflicts between neighboring communities along the Ugbema-Jato Aka road.
He explained that the crisis between the Cameroonian military and separatist Ambazonian fighters spilled over, resulting in a refugee crisis at the Nigeria-Cameroon border in Kwande LGA.
Ugbor lamented that the local government has experienced violent attacks, commonly referred to as farmers-herders clashes, which have left many residents dead, injured, homeless, and without access to farmlands and livelihoods for over a decade. This particularly affects the people of Turan and Ikyurav-ya districts.
He stated, “Many of these refugees have obtained the Nigerian Identity Number (NIN) ID Card, effectively making them Nigerians without formal proclamation.
“They now seek voting rights – to be allowed to vote and be voted for.
“Additionally, over the past several years, the discovery of Gold, Lithium, and other valuable minerals has added another dimension to the insecurity in Benue, specifically in Kwande local government.
“The influx of local and foreign illegal miners into the region has caused daily security unrest, environmental pollution, and a potential food crisis as young men and women abandon their farmlands for mining sites.
“If this trend continues unchecked, Benue will become the next hotspot for banditry, just like Zamfara State in recent years due to illegal gold mining.”