By Bunmi Yekini
Abandoned pits that are causing hazards to the community
In the serene village of Abuni, nestled within Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa state and between the boundaries of Keana and Obi Local Government Areas, lies a treasure trove of solid minerals, including lead, copper, zinc, and recently discovered lithium. But the wealth buried in Abuni’s soil is proving to be both a blessing and a curse.
Milled Copper
Crushed led
The once peaceful community, home to about 2,000 people of diverse ethnicities including the Hausa, Jukun, and Tiv, is on the brink of collapse. Despite its resource endowment, Abuni is impoverished in infrastructure and hope.
The Price of Exploitation
The people live in abject poverty. They lack stable electricity and basic infrastructure; there are no good roads, schools, and hospitals. This deprivation, however, pales in comparison to the devastation being wrought by mining activities, largely led by Multiverse Mining & Exploration Company Plc, a Chinese firm.
The mining company
A Crusher owned by the company
For years, the community has endured the pillaging of its lands. Farmlands that once sustained families are now ravaged by waste from mining operations, leaving behind poisoned soils and barren lands. In the reckless pursuit of minerals, dynamites are set off daily, causing cracks in homes and rendering them unsafe. Yet, Abuni’s plight does not end with environmental destruction.
The river that flows through this community, Rafin Jaki, once a vital lifeline, has become a death trap. Contaminated by wastewater from the mining fields, it is now the cause of numerous ailments, some fatal. In a particularly harrowing incident, nine children died after drinking from the polluted waters, according to a report from the community dwellers. Despite the outcry, government inaction and corporate disregard persist.
Polluted water that goes into river Rafin Jaki
Community led efforts to hold the mining firm accountable have been met with silence. When the Concerned Awe Youths tested samples of the river water in a Kaduna laboratory, the results confirmed the worst: the water was highly toxic and unfit for use. Yet, when the community sought answers from the mining company, they were told that the firm only answered to the state government, not to them and worst still, attempts to draw the government’s attention have also been ignored, leaving the people of Abuni abandoned in their suffering.
Children as Victims of Profit
Beyond the environmental catastrophe, a social crisis is also brewing. The influx of miners has brought with it an epidemic of sexual exploitation. Girls as young as 13 are being lured with money, phones, and jewelry in exchange for sex. This predatory exploitation has torn apart families and shattered lives. One girl, impregnated by a Chinese merchant named Tang, was forced to live with him at the mining site without her parents’ consent. Stories like hers are tragically common in Abuni, where girls are treated as disposable commodities in a trade they cannot escape.
Out-of-school children engaged by the mining company
“We don’t see our daughters anymore,” laments Fatima Musa, a mother whose child has fallen prey to the miners. “They come and go as they like. The gifts the miners give them have made them defiant. Our girls are no longer in school; they’ve become sex objects.”
School age girl working in the mining site
Such exploitation, combined with the use of child labor in the mines, paints a grim picture of a community under siege. In addition, the rising insecurity is a growing concern. Strange faces now patrol Abuni’s streets, with armed security personnel and thugs enforcing the miners’ dominance. Recently, a trader was kidnapped and killed, an ominous sign of what the future may hold.
For Abdullahi Umar, a resident of Abuni, the parallels between their situation and the lawless mining zones of Zamfara State are impossible to ignore. “We don’t want the Zamfara experience to happen here, but it seems that’s where we’re headed. The banditry, the insecurity, it all started with mining just like this.”
The Looming Threat of Insecurity
The influx of miners has also introduced an element of insecurity previously unknown to the peaceful community. Armed thugs and security personnel, hired by the mining firms, patrol the area to protect their interests, while the local people remain powerless. The fear is palpable. Abuni’s residents worry they are on the same path as Zamfara State, where unchecked mining activities have given rise to banditry and lawlessness.
Miners at the site
The kidnapping of a trader from eastern Nigeria and his subsequent murder, even after a ransom was paid, has heightened these fears. Strange faces now populate the village, and with them, the spectre of escalating violence.
A Cry for Justice
Abuni’s residents have not remained silent. Their letters of complaint to Multiverse Mining & Exploration Company were met with indifference. “We only deal with the state government,” the company’s officials responded coldly, leaving the locals without recourse. Some traditional chiefs, allegedly benefiting from the mining proceeds, have turned a blind eye, further deepening the community’s sense of betrayal.
As the community grapples with these challenges, voices from civil society are rising in solidarity.
Grassroots organizations like Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI), Citizens Free Service Forum (CFSF) and the Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN) are calling for immediate government intervention.
They demand that the Nasarawa State Government investigate the abuses, sanction the erring mining firms, and provide urgent remediation for the damage done to the environment and the lives of the people.
Barrister Chima Williams, Executive Director of EDEN, warns of the broader implications: “The mistakes of the oil sector are being repeated in the mining industry. Communities like Abuni are being destroyed for the sake of mineral wealth, with no accountability.”
In light of this, RDI alongside its partners EDEN, CFSF, and the Neighborhood Environment Watch (NEW) Foundation, have petitioned the Nasarawa State Government in a bid for justice. Addressed to the Chairman of the House Committee on the Environment, their petition paints a bleak picture of life in the mining-affected areas of Awe and Karu Local Government Areas.
In their petition, they outlined the ongoing destruction, highlighting that despite the massive extraction of minerals, communities like Abuni remain without basic amenities such as roads, hospitals, or schools. The situation has worsened with Multiverse Mining Company’s irresponsible mining practices, which have led to environmental degradation, cracked houses from rock blasting, and polluted waters that have killed children.
The petition also underscores the darker side of mining: sexual exploitation of young girls, some as young as 13, and rising insecurity, with heavily armed miners threatening locals who resist their operations. Additionally, it highlights how some local traditional rulers have allegedly signed secret agreements with the miners, leaving their communities vulnerable and without recourse.
In their plea for intervention, the RDI and its partners requested the Nasarawa State House of Assembly to:
- Conduct a fact-finding visit to Abuni and Uke districts, focusing on the communities around the mining sites and the polluted Rafin Jaki River.
- Carry out a comprehensive environmental audit of Abuni, Uke, and surrounding areas, including their water sources and farmlands.
- Revoke the mining license of Multiverse Mining Company if investigations reveal violations of environmental laws.
- Compel Multiverse Mining Company to take responsibility for cleaning up the pollution in Abuni.
- Provide compensation to those affected by the environmental destruction.
- Halt illegal artisanal mining that negatively impacts the people and environment.
- Increase oversight on mining operations in the affected communities.
- Investigate traditional rulers who have allegedly colluded with mining firms to the detriment of their people.
The petition concludes with a call to the Nasarawa State Government to act swiftly, as continued inaction will lead to the complete destruction of these communities. The Renevlyn Development Initiative and its partners stand ready to assist in ensuring justice for the affected communities.
Multiverse Mining and Exploration Company Ltd Right of Reply
The allegations levelled against Multiverse Mining and Exploration Company Ltd by the people of Abuni are quite damning, and in a bit to give them Right of Reply, HeapNews reach out to them through their phone and email contacts found on the company’s website, but all attempts to get a reply from them proved abortive.
The Nigerian Senate, in September passed a bill to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS) to its second reading. This proposed legislation, aimed at combating illegal mining and artisanal operations, was sponsored by Onawo Ogoshi, representing Nasarawa South. He outlined the need for a specialized agency to secure mining operations and enforce environmental and safety regulations while promoting sustainable mining practices.
The proposed bill offers a glimmer of hope, as it could help regulate mining activities and protect communities like Abuni from further harm. But for now, the people of Abuni remain at the mercy of powerful interests, hoping that their cries for justice will be heard before it is too late.
The devastation in Abuni is not merely a local issue; it is a reflection of the broader consequences of unchecked resource extraction across Nigeria. As communities like Abuni are left to bear the brunt of this destruction, the question remains: how long before the mining companies are held accountable for the suffering they’ve caused? How many more rivers must be poisoned, how many more lives must be lost, before the government intervenes in the interest of the community?