National President of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kabir Kankara, has said miners do not have any connection with bandits.

Kankara expressed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

He said the Federal Government declaring Zamfara State a “no-fly zone” was timely and a welcome development, as it was for the safety of lives and property, however, “To the best of my knowledge, our members have no connection with bandits,” he said.

MAN’ President spoke against the backdrop of the recent Federal Government ban on mining activities in Zamfara, due to the upsurge in banditry.

The Federal Government on Tuesday, announced a complete ban on mining activities in Zamfara , declaring the state a “no fly zone.”

 The President approved the ban on all mining activities in the state with immediate effect until further notice.

Kankara further stressed that “We are in line with any measure proffered by the Federal Government to forestall insecurity in Zamfara.

 “Yes, our mining activities occur in the bush but we do not have links with bandits, we are just victims of circumstance.”

Also, Dele Ayanleke, National Secretary of MAN, said that miners were not against any measure taken by the Federal Government to forestall insecurity in the country.

He, therefore, advised the government to take steps to ensure that artisanal miners do not encroach into sites belonging to mining title holders during the period of the ban.