Ayomide Awe
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has intensified its nationwide offensive against illegal mining, warning operators that anyone found violating the country’s mining regulations will face prosecution.
The NSCDC Mining Marshals, the specialised enforcement arm of the Corps established to tackle illegal mining, said their operations had been stepped up across the country, with increased activities in the South-West.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps, John Onoja Attah, issued the warning as the enforcement teams intensified efforts to ensure that mining operators complied with extant laws and regulatory requirements.
Attah said operators could no longer hide behind claims of ignorance of the law, stressing that mining activities conducted outside the approved regulatory framework would attract legal consequences.
“Ignorance of the law will never be an excuse. Every operator must ensure that mining activities are conducted within the ambit of the law. Those who choose to operate outside the regulatory framework will face the full weight of legal consequences,” he said.
The commander explained that the renewed enforcement was not limited to shutting down illegal mining operations but was also aimed at protecting legitimate investors, plugging revenue leakages and strengthening compliance within the solid minerals sector.
He said Nigeria could only fully realise the economic potential of its vast mineral resources when mining activities were conducted legally, safely and sustainably.
The Mining Marshals were established as part of efforts to strengthen enforcement in the solid minerals sector and combat the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources by unlicensed operators.
Attah said the ongoing crackdown was consistent with the reform agenda of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, which seeks to reposition the mining industry as a major contributor to economic diversification and national development.
The Federal Government has increasingly identified the solid minerals sector as an alternative source of revenue and economic growth, with regulatory compliance, investor protection and the elimination of illegal mining regarded as critical to attracting credible investment.
The NSCDC said the enforcement drive also reflected the priorities of its Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, whose administration has placed emphasis on protecting critical national assets and infrastructure.
According to the Corps, institutional support for the Mining Marshals has been strengthened to enable the unit to more effectively combat illegal exploitation of mineral resources and associated revenue losses.
The NSCDC further pledged to sustain collaboration with relevant government agencies, regulators and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s mineral wealth was exploited within the law and in a manner that would benefit the economy and future generations.
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