The Bayelsa State Government has placed a total ban on all unauthorised and illegal mining of mineral resources across communities in its eight local government areas.
The government also cautioned traditional rulers and community leaders to stop signing memoranda of understanding with illegal miners, stressing that all such agreements are null and void and of no effect.
Naijaonpoint reports that Governor Douye Diri made the declaration on Monday, December 8, during a town hall meeting with community leaders, top government officials and other stakeholders from Southern Ijaw, Brass and Ekeremor LGAs in Yenagoa.
Diri, represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, described the mining of silicon, popularly called black sand, at Foropa, Agge, Die-ama and other coastal communities by external miners as illegal and dangerous.
According to him, the activity poses “a dangerous threat to the safety of the environment and health of the people.”
He ordered an immediate halt to all such mining operations and placed an embargo on communities entering into MoUs with companies for mineral extraction without consulting the state government.
The governor noted that while his administration is working to attract legitimate investors, it will not condone businesses that undermine the safety and security of host communities.
He warned that community leaders who flout the directive would be arrested and prosecuted under relevant state laws.
Diri said illegal mining not only violates environmental impact assessment regulations but also threatens security and deprives the state of legitimate revenue.
He said, “The state has recently witnessed a dimension we are not comfortable with. There is a developing issue in Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs. People from outside the state are illegally mining silicon or black sand in our communities, without the authorisation of the government, and that has to stop forthwith.”
Governor Diri added,“It is both dangerous to the safety of our environment and health. Unchecked illegal mining activities in the north contributed to the banditry that has engulfed several states in the north. We won’t allow that here.”
The governor further criticised communities that signed MoUs with illegal miners, saying government institutions must be consulted before entering such agreements.
He declared: “Government is, therefore, directing the immediate suspension of all such illegal silicon or black sand mining activities across the state. An embargo is hereby placed on MoUs between communities and companies from within or outside the state. And every MoU already signed without government approval is hereby declared invalid and of no effect.”
The Commissioner for Environment, Ebi Ben-Ololo, stressed the need for communities to obey an existing law passed by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly regulating mining activities and outlining procedures for obtaining necessary authorisation.
The Paramount Ruler of Foropa, His Royal Highness Olabai Olozulu; the Paramount Ruler of Die-ama, His Royal Highness Baratuaipre Amaene; and the CDC Chairman of Odioma, Chief Forcebray Eketekpe, commended the government’s intervention and pledged community support.
The development comes amid growing national concerns over illegal mining.
Recall that the Northern States Governors’ Forum recently called for a six-month suspension of mining activities following the abduction of schoolchildren and killings in some states, identifying illegal mining as a major driver of insecurity.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]