By Stella Odueme
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, on Friday disclosed that the Mining Marshals deployed in past one year to address the menace of illegal mining in the country have recovered a total of 98 sites hitherto taken over by illegal miners and also arrested 327 offenders as parts of efforts to bring sanity to the nation’s mining sector.
Also, the Mining Marshals have identified 457 suspected illegal mining sites due to improved intelligence gathering.
The Minister who spoke during commemoration of the one year anniversary of the Mining Marshals in Abuja, commended the giants strides and accomplishments of the mining marshals within one years promising to further boost their operations with more logistics and better condition of service.
” I want to congratulate you for the very good work that you have done in this last one year. We are very impressed with your performance this year. And this gives us the confidence to believe that you are going to do more.
When you are successful in what you do, then higher authority will be more confident to give you more responsibility.
“The purpose of creating and establishing you last year has been displayed. You have succeeded in addressing several illegal offenders, growing into hundreds. You have succeeded in bringing some into the courts for persecution, and in fact, ensuring conviction.
“Because you are one year today, starting another new year tomorrow. And I want to assure you that those things that you need, for efficiency of your operations, like logistic support, arms, money, everything, and all other things that you must need, we will provide for you. And that is to ensure that your job will be made easier.”
Alake who noted that the task to sanitize the sector has not been an easy one as some first-class traditional rulers and wealthy Nigerians are also involved in the illicit trade expressed confidence that with feats achieved by the mining marshals in just one year, the monster will be surmounted.
“Today’s event is a continuation of what we do, and that is reporting. We are reporting on the activities of the Mining Marshalls in the last one year. Exactly one year ago today, in this premises, we activated the Mining Marshals and unleashed them onto the fields and the forests, with the sole objective of flushing out illegal operators in this sector.
“A core of 2,220 officers have formed the Mining Marshals and increased over time by 450. There are now 2,670 as of today. And this is due to the injection of new recruits of 350 officers and 100 higher level officers during the course of the year.
There is no doubt that the activation of a new corp to enforce the provisions of the Nigerian Mining and Minerals Law 2007 and the regulations sent shivers down the spine of illegal miners.
“Upon activation of this corp, a clear message was sent to the sector of solid minerals in Nigeria. The activation of this new core as I said, sent a shockwave in the entire mining sector of Nigeria.
Illegal operators in the mining sector of Nigeria were forced to leave the sector.
He gave the instance of the operation at North South Extractive Industries Limited in Kogi State, where over 3,000 illegal miners have been chased out.
Other sites recovered include: Ganan Mining Limited (Kuje, FCT); Jinloys Nigeria Limited in Abia State; Orbit Exploration and Natural Products Limited in Kogi State.
Also, the efficient operations of the Mining Marshals have led to conviction of foreign illegal miners, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, in Kwara State even as he stressed that the Bola Tinubu administration is resolute in ensuring that the nation’s mineral resources are not siphoned.
As a result of the successes recorded, Dr. Alake disclosed that the Mining Marshals will expand their coverage nationwide, integrating satellite technology, drones, and miniature robots, assuring that adequate logistics provisions will be made to sure seamless operation even as he said that more marshals will be deployed nationwide including the Federal Capital Territory FCT for wider coverage.
“For the first time, we are providing both air and ground coverage for the security of the solid minerals sector.
The activation of the Mining Marshals sent shivers down the spine of illegal miners. It is no longer business as usual,” he said.
The Minister commended security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, for their role in the fight against illegal miners, while acknowledging the judiciary’s swift action in prosecuting offenders like
Dr. Alake also announced the institution of an annual prize for the Best Report on Solid Minerals Development in Nigeria, to be administered by the Diamonds Awards for Media Excellence (DAME).
According to him, the initiative is aimed at encouraging responsible and impactful journalism in the sector.
“The Nigerian press has been serious, comprehensive, and patriotic in its coverage of the solid minerals sector. This award will further enhance public awareness,” he stated.
As the Mining Marshals enter their second year, Dr. Alake reaffirmed the government’s commitment to consolidating gains, flushing out more illegal miners, and boosting Nigeria’s solid minerals contribution to national revenue.
Earlier, the National Commandant of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commander Attah John Onoja highlighted the role of the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development in establishing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Mining Marshals, ensuring professionalism in their enforcement efforts.
He highlighted some of the challenges faced by the operatives, to include dangerous terrains and security risks assuring however of their resolve to sanitize the sector.
“Since our launch, we have responded to numerous petitions from legitimate mineral title holders who have been unable to access their sites due to the activities of illegal miners and, in some cases, bandits.
“Sir, you are a father. We are leaving here more motivated, and I can assure you that even if I don’t eat for the next two days, I will be the happiest person in the world. About 337 suspects of illegal miners have been arrested across the nation.
Over 143 are currently undergoing prosecution. We observe strictly the provisions of the law.
“Our driving force is the commitment to safeguarding the sector. The words of encouragement from the Honourable Minister mean more to us than money. They have kept our morale high despite limited logistics,” he said
He commended the collaboration between the NSCDC and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, noting that the initiative aligns with the federal government’s economic agenda to reposition the mining sector as a viable alternative to oil revenue.
He thanked the media for their coverage of the Mining Marshals’ activities, which, he said, has helped to increase public awareness of the fight against illegal mining.
The Mining Marshals, were inaugurated on March 1, 2024, by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, as outcome of inter-ministerial collaboration and were deployed across Nigeria to enforce mining laws.
