Following the alarm raised by residents of Gombe community in Gadabuke Development Area in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State over continue pollution of their water and farmland by mining activities in the area.

The mining company includes Jofrey International Company and Viva Jenifer Enterprise are operating in the area without official permission of the council and host community.

The council in it’s commitment to avert health hazard, insecurity such as banditry and as well to ensure conducive environment for the residents of the area, on Tuesday 28, June 2022, Toto Local Government high power delegation ably led by Vice Chairman, Honourable Abubakar Haruna Kwanakis visited the remote village on a physical assessment to ascertain level of activities by the miners.

The high power delegation which comprise, Toto Local Government Council Secretary, Hon. Muhammed Zakari Wanted, Director Personnel Management, DPM, Alhaji Muhammed Suleiman Odaudu, Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Toto LG, Alhaji Shuaibu Ahmed aka Katuka, Hon. Shuaib Yakubu, retired, SSA Security to Chairman of Toto LG, Yahaya Idris Toto, SSA, Media & Publicity office of the Executive Chairman, Mr. Adamu Danladi Maikeke, Clerk of the Toto LG Legislative Arm, Councilor representing Ugya ward, Hon. Mohammed Umar Ozimama, Mr. Iliya Haggai, Information Officer Toto LG, Vigilante group of Nigeria, Toto LG Command headed by Commander Ali Hot, State Security Service, SSS, men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force within Toto LG Jurisdiction.

Addressing the miners in their various sites, the Vice Chairman who is the Chairman of the peace and security committee said the delegation was in the sites to ascertain level of activities going on and having received various complaints from residents and farmers hence their visit to ensure a level play ground for both party.

In a Press Statement issued by Yahaya Idris Toto, Senior Special Assistant, SSA, on Media & Publicity to the Executive Chairman of Toto LG, 28 June, 2022, said they were also in the mining sites to enforce and ensure compliance with international best practice and in accordance with law of the land.

He pointed out that there was need to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the mining company to provide succour to host community and the council as it is being done in other places.

According to him, the MoU will provide a level play ground for both party which will eventually form bilateral or multilateral agreement.

While commending the miners for their commitments to the development of Toto LG being employer of labour and urged them to operate within the ambit of the law.

“We have security challenge in this country, Toto LG and Nasarawa State hence the need to checkmate every activities to ensure total compliance with the authority.”

On their part, the Miners thanked the council authority for their thoughtfulness and pledged total compliance to law governing the area.

They also promised to meet the council officials to compliment government effort geared towards providing security to their various sites.

The delegation also inspected the two sites operating in the community and interface with coordinators and labourers with a charge to report any suspicious activities and strange faces to law enforcement for onward action as part of commitment to curtail insecurity in the area.