Kogi Insecurity: ”As A Miner What Do You Need An AK-47 For When You Are Doing Mining?” —Fanwo

The Kogi State Government has identified illegal mining as a major contributor to the growing insecurity in the state, claiming that more than 80 per cent of reported criminal activities are linked to unauthorised mining operations.

According to a report on Channels Television, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, made the disclosure during an interview on Sunrise Daily on Monday, October 19, 2026.

He discussed the connection between mining activities and criminality, as well as the measures being implemented by the government and security agencies to tackle the situation.

Fanwo explained that several areas experiencing heightened insecurity also have significant mining activities, with some criminal groups allegedly taking advantage of the remote locations to establish bases and carry out their operations.

He said the government had observed a strong relationship between banditry and mining in different parts of Kogi State, noting that the concentration of criminal incidents in certain communities appeared to coincide with the presence of mining sites.

Responding to questions about recent air raids and ground operations conducted by joint security forces against suspected bandit camps, the commissioner agreed that illegal mining had become a serious security concern requiring urgent attention.

“I would say that you are very correct. There is a very strong link between banditry and mining in Kogi State, and most of those areas where you are having a lot of criminality right now are places where we are having a lot of mining activities going on. So there is a link between mining activities and criminality in the state,” Fanwo said.

The commissioner, however, clarified that the government was not suggesting that mining was responsible for every criminal incident in Kogi State. Rather, he maintained that unauthorised mining activities were contributing substantially to the security challenges currently confronting the state.

According to Fanwo, more than 80 per cent of the criminality being experienced in Kogi was being fuelled by mining-related activities. He also expressed concern over reports that some individuals involved in illegal mining were arriving at mining locations with dangerous firearms.

He argued that the presence of such weapons at mining sites raised serious questions about the activities taking place at those locations and whether some of the individuals were using mining operations as cover for criminal activities.

The commissioner cited the recent arrest of more than 30 suspected illegal miners, who he said were found in possession of dangerous weapons. He used the incident to emphasise the need for security agencies to intensify efforts to identify and apprehend individuals exploiting mining sites for unlawful purposes.

“We are not saying entirely criminality is being fuelled by mining, but we are saying that more than 80% of the criminality that we are witnessing in Kogi State right now is being fuelled by mining activities, and a lot of these illegal miners come to the mining site with very dangerous weapons. Recently, more than 30 of them have been arrested, and they were arrested with very dangerous weapons. What do you need an AK-47 for when you are doing mining? So a lot of these illegal minings are the ones that are causing insecurity in the state,” he stated.

Fanwo’s comments suggest that the state government considers the regulation of mining activities an important part of its wider security strategy. By targeting unauthorised mining operations and individuals allegedly connected to criminal networks, the authorities hope to reduce the opportunities available to bandits and other suspected criminals.

The government’s position also highlights the challenges associated with securing remote mining locations, where limited oversight can make it difficult to monitor activities and identify those operating outside the law.

Watch the video starting from 1:51 to 2:54

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