This is not the best of times for residents of Minna metropolis in Niger state capital as they are currently grappling with various forms of urban crimes.
As the criminals lay siege to the state capital, some people have attributed it to invasion of illegal artisan miners while some attributed it to the hardship triggered by the current economic downturn that seemed to have pushed people beyond limit.
Residents who spoke to LEADERSHIP at separate interviews fingered some foreign labourers being used for illegal artisan mining as the perpetrators. According to them, they have been coming to the state capital without proper profiling in line with immigration regulations.
Most of them from the findings live without defined residence, other than shanties in areas they dug for Gold and other minerals.
It was learnt that when they could not get work to do, they recruited undesirable elements among local youths to attack innocent people, snatching motorcycles, phones and other easily moveable property.
Mostly hit in the state capital is the MI Wushishi housing estate where some of the residents complained about the nefarious act of the artisan miners who were not only digging some strategic parts of the estate but attacking the people and causing mayhem.
A resident who prefers anonymity for fear of being attacked said, ” Some of them are not Nigerians , you will see them being loaded in buses coming to some of the mining sites and from their looks you know they are not Nigerians and when they can’t get gold to dig they take to crime”.
Another Resident who identified herself as Madam Lubabatu narrated to LEADERSHIP how she was attacked recently, saying, “They will monitor you and attack when they know there is no one in sight to help”
Another Resident Mohammed Suleiman said, “Some of them can board the same Tricycle with you and rob you inside , they can even stop you around areas that are dark and dispossess one of all his or her valuables.
Another Resident Musa Babale called on the security operatives to put an end to the current upsurge in urban crimes in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Niger Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun said some youth who specialized in urban crimes have been apprehended, saying they are relenting in their efforts to end the trend.
