Illegal mining has become a national security concern in Nigeria, with 374 illegal mining sites uncovered across 17 states. Reports indicate that 156 people have died, and the National Assembly Committee has described the situation as a sophisticated national threat with implications for security and revenue generation. The illicit activity is linked to banditry, kidnapping, and other organised crime in the North-West and North-Central regions, as well as conflicts over land, destruction of farmlands and forests, water pollution, and dangerous mining pits. It also fuels child labour, according to the reports.
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