Zamfara Commissioner of Solid Minerals, Dr Nuruddeen Isa, said that the state government did not own any goldfield.
He said the goldfields constitutionally belong to the federal government.
Dr Isa gave this clarification against the backdrop of controversy generated by the State Governor’s statement that it was Zamfara gold.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, the commissioner stated that the state government was not directly involved in mining activities.
According to him, “The state government doesn’t own any portion of the goldfields throughout the state and is not involved in mining activities.”
He said that the state government was used to buying gold from illegal miners to prevent them from being smuggled out of the country or get sold to bandits.
However, he explained that the state had placed a ban on mining activities as miners had been asked to get permits from the federal government.
He said mineral resources belonged to the federal government, adding that “anyone who wants to mine them must get a federal licence.”
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