By Femi Akinola
The Federal Government has launched Mining Marshals for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to checkmate rampant illegal mining of solid minerals across Nigeria.
Each State Command NSCDC will have its own Mining Marshals, strting with 60 personnel.
The launch was done by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, during the 2024 Interntional Civil Defence Day at the headquarters of the NSCDC in Abuja.
The minister said the Mining Marshals would carry out their functions in conjunction with the Ministry of Solid Minerals.
Prior to the launch of Mining Marshals by the government, the theft of gold through illegal mining and the attendant hazards coupled with the increase in the number of criminal groups struggling for the control of the resources, forced the Federal Government to ban mining in a place like Zamfara State where illegal mining is usually crried out mostly by local artisans.
Investigations revealed that the near absence of laws regulating the sector was one of the factors that led to thriving of the illegal act across the country.
There are claims that there was connivance between politically connected Nigerians and Chinese in illegal mining in the country.
Illegal mining has by now spread beyond Zamfara State in the Northwest to other State in the geo-political zone, North Central and to some extent, Southwest Nigeria.
It was discovered that the mining of large untapped mineral deposits in the country, especially gold which have strategic importance and economic value, is at the root of community violence witnessed at some part of the country.
For example in Benue State, a state that was rich in mineral deposits such as gold, lead-zinc, glass sand, coal, ironstone, gypsum among others, illegal mining activities in the state are undertaken by artisans and small-scale miners who do not have licences to carry out extraction activities in the state. Their mining activities often result in destructive impacts on the environment.
In Plateau State, illegal mining have been thriving for years under the guise of artisanal mining.
The illegal activity usually take place during the dry season because there is assurance that the lnd will not cave to cover the illegal miners who are serching for precious minerals under the surface of the earth.
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Illegal mining has been going on in Plateau State without hindrance either from the federal, state or the local government authority.
Martina Danuku, the Director, Environmental Assessment and Climate Change in the State Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Mineral Development laments the impacts of illegal mining and urged the government to halt acts of the illegal miners.
”Our major problem is that the minefields arefraught with all kinds of vices from drugs and prolifertion of arms , illegal immigrants from neighbouring countries up north and white foreigners with shady and sharp practices abound,” Danuk said.
In Borno State, findings showed that the unending ‘war’ unleashed on the state by insurgents ws due to some foreign interests on the abundant mineral resources such as oil and gas, californium and precious stones that are available in large quantities in the shores of Lake Chad and some parts of the dreadful Sambisa forest.
In Niger State, the situation of illegal mining in the state has become known to the younger residents to the extent that in some cases, men, women, teenagers engaged in illegal mining of mineral resources an they seem not to feel wreaking havoc on the environment doing the illegal business at any time of the day.
There are cases where an entire family of a man, wife, children and even members of their extended family residing with them are neck-deep in the illegal act.
Their areas of illegal opertion have no bounds as they encroach into people’s farm lands, acquired lands, school premises among others.
As of the moment, illegal mining still continue unabated in Kano State, Kebbi, Kwara, Kaduna, Bauchi, Taraba, Nasarawa and Osun State in Southwest zone of the country.
Illegal miners operates freely in different ways and identities but their goal is the same: to steal the commonwealth of the people of Nigeria and become richer than any other person.
Last week, Zonal Commander of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Osun State, Halima Mustafa Rufa’u, while on a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, hinted that illegal miners are sabotaging solid mineral resources in the state.
She also noted that apart from deradation of the environment caused by the activities of these illegaal miners, the unwholesome development is also affecting targeted revenue , thus thwarting the economic growth of the state.
Illegal miners are dangerous group of people. They are always ready to deal ruthlessly with anyone who attempt to stop them from carrying out their wicked activities. They do not spare anyone who stand on their way.
Investigations revealed that countless people who attempt to disturupt their illegal business have been sent to early grave for attempt to disallow them from illegal mining of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Speaking during the launch of the Mining Marshals, the Commandnt General NSCDC, Ahmed Audi, disclosed that over 1,175 illegal mining sites have been identified promising that the sites would be manned by the newly created Mining Marshals to curtail the ctivities of illegal miners. Would the Mining Marshals be able to stop illegal mining in the country? Time will tell.
