Nasarawa orders a halt to mining operations in Udege.

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

The Nasarawa State Government has ordered Lideal Mining Company to suspend all mining operations immediately at the Endo community in Udege, Nasarawa Local Government Area.

The state has also directed the firm to halt the movement of raw materials from the site without further delay.

At a press conference in Lafia on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Margarate Elayo, explained that the decision followed a series of engagements, stakeholder consultations, and a security report concerning mining activities in the affected cadastral unit. She said the directive was issued in the public interest.

Elayo added that the company must begin removing all facilities, mining equipment, machinery, trucks, and personnel from the site immediately.

She further stated that the directive aligns with Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration’s commitment to enforce lawful mining practices, maintain peace in host communities, and uphold procedures that secure investor confidence in the state.

The commissioner said the decision was made in the overriding public interest as part of her ongoing effort to reposition the mining sector in the state.

She disclosed that the government has deployed security personnel to the site to ensure compliance with the directive and to prevent any unauthorized activity.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investors, she urged stakeholders and host communities to remain peaceful, law‑abiding, and cooperative as the mining sector is repositioned for the benefit of the state.