Barely 35 days after the deadly collapse at the Gidan Best mining site in Taraba State, elders and leaders of Mayokam community in Bali Local Government Area have accused security personnel deployed to secure the area of collecting millions of naira to allow illegal mining activities to continue at night.
The community also alleged that the bodies of miners still trapped inside the collapsed pit have been abandoned, while illegal mining continues despite the state government’s ban on mining activities.
The elders called on Governor Agbu Kefas to urgently investigate the allegations and also examine the role of the state official coordinating mining activities and security deployment in the area, Hon. Anas Shuaibu Didango.
Gidan Best mining site, located about 125 kilometres from Jalingo, collapsed on September 17, 2026, killing at least 20 illegal miners. Community members said only a few victims were rescued alive, while several bodies remain trapped underground and are yet to be recovered.
Speaking during a visit by journalists to the community, residents alleged that security personnel stationed at the mining site collect huge sums of money from illegal miners before allowing them access to operate during the night.
They further claimed that the alleged illegal activities are taking place despite the Taraba State Government’s efforts to regulate mining operations for the benefit of the state.
One of the community elders, Tanko Abubakar Mayokam, accused security personnel of openly screening people based on how much money they could pay before granting them access to the mining site.
“They posted DSS to Mayokam, at the mining site, the DSS use to line up people like school children, they pay money, someone with only 1 million is not allowed access, if you have 2 million or more, you are allowed to go in and conduct your mining activities.”
Tanko further alleged that those benefiting from the illegal mining are mostly people from outside Taraba State.
“If you are from Bali, Garbachede or let me say from Taraba, they will not allow you to go in, the people that benefiting are from outside the state. At about 7 pm the activities start at the mining site, in the early hours like 3 to 4 am they close.”
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the Taraba State Governor on Marketing, Hon. Idris Danladi, claimed he had obtained video evidence allegedly showing illegal mining activities at the site.
According to him, he forwarded the evidence to the Governor’s Special Adviser on Political Matters, Prof. Josiah Sabo Kente, for action.
“I have reported this matter to the SA political to the governor Prof. Josiah Sabo Kente, he sent some persons and it was found is true, I went ahead to send my boys to get the video clip of the activities going on there and sent to the organizing secretary of the APC Isa Musa, I sent to him and he saw it.”
Community members warned that they could stage a massive protest if the state government fails to stop the alleged illegal mining activities and investigate the conduct of the security personnel deployed to the area.
However, Hon. Anas Shuaibu Didango denied the allegations. He said he had no knowledge of any illegal mining activities at the site and insisted he had never received any benefit from security personnel deployed to the area since assuming responsibility for mining logistics.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and the Department of State Services (DSS) had not issued an official response as of the time of filing this report.
The Gidan Best mining site has remained under public attention since the September 17, 2026, collapse that claimed the lives of illegal miners. Following the tragedy, the Taraba State Government reinforced its ban on illegal mining and pledged to improve regulation of mining activities across the state. The latest allegations by the community have raised fresh concerns over enforcement of the ban and the safety of abandoned mining sites.
