Kebbi LGA Imposes Curfew After Deadly Gold Mining Clash

Authorities in Yauri Local Government Area, Kebbi State, have imposed a 10 p.m.–7 a.m. curfew following violent clashes among youths in the Garin Katta community over gold mining.

The violence, which began with the killing of a miner on Saturday, escalated into retaliatory attacks, destruction of shops, and the burning of motorcycles. Casualty figures remain unclear.

Council Chairman Abubakar Shuaibu said security forces, including police and the military, were deployed after attempts to identify the culprits were obstructed. He urged calm, stressing that conflict only deepens instability.

Violence erupts in Kebbi community as clash over gold mine claims life.

A violent clash between residents over a gold mining site has claimed one life in Garin Katta community, Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The crisis, which broke out on Saturday after a misunderstanding among miners, escalated on Sunday when relatives of the deceased reportedly launched a reprisal attack.

The confrontation led to the destruction of property, vandalisation of shops, and motorcycles being set ablaze.

In response, the Chairman of Yauri LGA, Abubakar Shuaibu, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

He disclosed that security agencies, including the Police Area Commander and the Department of State Services, had been notified to restore calm, with military support also sought.

Police authorities confirmed the recovery and burial of the victim in line with Islamic rites. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend those behind the killing.

Nigeria NewsGhana Releases Identities Of Ministers, Others Who Died In Helicopter Crash (Full List).

Ghana was thrown into mourning on Wednesday following the crash of a military helicopter en route from Accra to Obuasi, which claimed the lives of eight prominent individuals, including two serving ministers and senior security officials.

Naija News reports that the Z-9 military helicopter, which lost contact mid-flight, was carrying government and army personnel to Obuasi, a gold-mining town in southern Ghana, for an official engagement when the tragedy occurred.

Ghanaian President John Mahama described the crash as a “national tragedy”, suspending all official engagements and ordering flags to fly at half-mast across the country.

In the same manner, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria joined other world leaders in expressing condolences to the people of Ghana over the incident, describing the victims as “heroes who died in the line of patriotic service.”

Naija News gathered that authorities have released the names and designations of those who perished in the crash:

Edward Omane Boamah – Minister for Defence

Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed – Minister for Environment, Science, and Technology

Muniru Mohammed – Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator and former Minister for Food and Agriculture

Samuel Sarpong – Vice-Chairman, National Democratic Congress (NDC)

Samuel Aboagye – Former Parliamentary Candidate

Peter Baafemi Anala – Squadron Leader

Manaen Twum Ampadu – Flying Officer

Ernest Addo – Sergeant

Tinubu Mourns With Ghana Over Tragic Helicopter Crash That Killed Ministers, Top Officials


President Extends Condolences to President Mahama, Families of the Fallen Heroes

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Ghana following a devastating military helicopter crash that claimed the lives of eight prominent Ghanaians, including two sitting ministers.

The ill-fated Z-9 helicopter belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces lost contact during a flight from Accra to Obuasi, a major gold-mining town, on Wednesday.

Among the victims were:

Edward Boamah, Minister of Defence

Ibrahim Mohammed, Minister of Environment

Muniru Mohammed, Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator

Samuel Sarpong, NDC Vice Chairman and former Ashanti Regional Minister

Samuel Aboagye, former parliamentary candidate

Squadron Leader Peter Twum Ampadu, pilot

Flying Officer (unnamed)

Sergeant Ernest Addo


In an official statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu assured President John Mahama and the Ghanaian people that Nigeria stands in solidarity with them during this tragic time.

> “The thoughts and prayers of Nigeria are with Ghana. May the bereaved families find solace in the fact that their loved ones died in the line of patriotic service,” Tinubu said.


He also prayed for the peaceful repose of the departed souls and strength for their families and the nation of Ghana.

#TinubuCondolesGhana #GhanaHelicopterCrash #GAFTragedy #AfricanSolidarity #RIPFallenHeroes

Give us gold or face attacks – Bandit leader to Zamfara mining communities.

A notorious bandit leader, identified as Sani Black, has reportedly demanded 150 kilogrammes of pure gold from four communities in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State as a “protection levy.”

The affected communities, Dada, Gidan Shaho, Marmaro, and Rimni, were issued the ultimatum in what marks a shift from the usual demands for cash or livestock.

Local sources suggest the demand may be linked to the residents’ alleged involvement in illegal gold mining, which has increasingly attracted the attention of armed groups seeking alternative revenue sources.

A youth leader, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, said the demand likely stems from the belief that many locals are engaged in mining. “He believes several of them have access to gold,” the source said.

Another resident added, “The terrorists know we no longer have money or animals to give them, so they’re asking for gold, which they believe we can provide.”

For over a decade, Zamfara and other parts of Nigeria’s northwest have faced persistent insecurity, with armed groups carrying out killings, abductions, and extortion. Some factions have seized control of mining sites to exploit gold directly.

Residents in the affected communities are reportedly discussing how to either gather the gold or negotiate a reduction in the quantity demanded.

Malian government helicopters storm Canada-backed Barrick Mining site, ferry Gold worth $117m.

Malian government helicopters landed unexpectedly at Barrick Mining Corp.’s gold mine on Thursday and seized more than a metric ton of the precious metal, according to the company.

The move marks another escalation in a protracted dispute between the West African country’s government and Toronto-based Barrick, which shuttered its giant Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex earlier this year after Malian authorities blocked bullion exports and detained senior employees.

The helicopters landed “unannounced” and took more than one metric ton of gold — equivalent to about 2,204 pounds — “potentially for sale by the provisional administration — though that remains to be seen and the situation is evolving,” Barrick said.

One metric ton of gold is worth about $117.2 million on Thursday, with gold trading around $3,324 an ounce.

The gold seized was in addition to three metric tons of gold the Malian government took in January. Barrick, one of the world’s biggest gold producers, says the government still hasn’t communicated the fate of that metal.Mali last month said a temporary administrator would restart production at the Loulo-Gounkoto complex, which was put under provisional administration earlier in June.

An email to the Malian government’s mining ministry was not immediately answered.

The troubles began in 2023 when Mali’s cash-strapped military regime demanded foreign investors make payments for alleged back taxes and adhere to a new mining law granting the state higher royalties and bigger stakes in joint ventures. The owners of other gold mines in the country, including Allied Gold Corp. and B2Gold Corp., have reached settlements.

Barrick remains committed to negotiating a resolution to the dispute and staying in Mali, Barrick’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow said Thursday in a letter published on the company’s website. The firm said it’s moving ahead with international arbitration proceedings against the country, with a first hearing set to take place by the end of July.

“We are not simply hoping for a favorable outcome — we are pursuing resolution through the proper legal channels that the Government of Mali agreed to in our Mining Conventions,” Bristow said. (Bloomberg)