GATSIBO-Authorities in Gatsibo District have cautioned residents in Rwimbogo sector, against carrying out mining activities around, Gabiro military zone.

Coltan mineral deposits were discovered in Kamate, Rwikiniro and Nyamatete cells in Rwimbogo Sector, part of the military zone.

According to area residents, scores of people from within and outside the sector flock into the barracks to exploit mineral deposits.
Some farmers have abandoned the Ntende rice scheme to get a piece of the mineral deposits.

"We see hundreds of people on motorbikes, including area residents flocking the mining sites. Some of them tell us that they even make over Rwf500,000 a day from the minerals,” one of the area residents told The New Times.

Pascazie Uwimana, the leader of Rukomo village, which is the main mining base, said that minerals were very close to the military training base.

"It’s a very dangerous zone. The military training is very close to where residents spend the whole day mining. It is risky,” she observed.

The district Mayor, Ambrose Ruboneza, appealed to the local community to stop mining activities in the area, saying the military zone was strictly for military training.

"We shall get mining companies that will exploit the minerals in a safer way,” he disclosed.

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