Miners and residents of the La’tea community in Jos, Plateau State, have called on the government to investigate and withdraw Mining Licence ML 129, alleging that its allocation has generated tension and hardship in the community.
The residents accused a miner, Mr Joshua Ibabe, of intimidating landowners and community leaders through petitions, police invitations and court actions over disagreements surrounding mining activities in the area.
Speaking during an interview, community representative James Gang Samuel said residents had endured about six months of hardship following the disruption of mining activities at the site, which he described as a major source of livelihood for widows, orphans, displaced persons and other vulnerable residents.
He questioned the legality of the mining licence, insisting that the community did not support Ibabe’s activities and wanted him to leave the area.
Samuel further alleged that Ibabe had operated in the community for over 50 years without providing meaningful benefits or development to the host community.
He said the community was not opposed to mining but wanted its mineral resources to benefit the people, stressing that residents were united in their demand for justice and fair treatment.
“We are not standing as individuals or as a group, but as a community and for justice. We want justice for our community,” he said.
Also speaking, Justina Ezekiel Dem, a member of the Birom community, alleged that Ibabe commenced mining activities in the area without obtaining the consent of landowners, families and traditional authorities.
Dem, who said she had lived in the community for nearly 30 years, explained that residents approached the Mining Cadastre Office to verify the status of the licence and were informed, according to her account, that Ibabe did not have a valid licence covering the disputed land.
She further alleged that Ibabe had taken some landowners to court and involved the police in the dispute rather than settling outstanding rents owed to them.
Dem said the restrictions on mining activities had also affected women who depended on the site for their livelihood, adding that many had obtained loans through CCDP to purchase mining materials and equipment.
According to her, the women were now struggling to repay the loans because they could no longer access the site to process their materials, particularly as their repayment period around October and November approached.
The two community representatives appealed to the Plateau State Government and relevant authorities to investigate the dispute and ensure that residents benefit from the mineral resources in their community.
Samuel also demanded the withdrawal of police personnel from the mining site, arguing that mining-related disputes should be handled by the appropriate authorities, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Meanwhile, Dem questioned what she described as the failure of traditional and community authorities to resolve the matter despite several appeals and meetings.
She warned that the community might block major roads leading into Jos from surrounding local government areas by Friday if the government failed to intervene.
“We are pleading with the government to come to our rescue. We have taken this matter to the relevant authorities, our chiefs and community leaders, yet the intimidation continues,” she said.
