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FG commissions 2,200 mines marshals to curb illegal mining

"We unveiled a 2,200-strong Mines Marshal to smoke out illegal miners and all those who flout our nation's mining laws"

Samuel AkpanMarch 22, 2024749

The Federal Government has commissioned a 2,200-strong Mines Marshal to smoke out illegal miners and flouters of Nigeria’s mining laws.

The development of the new security architecture aligns with the 7-point agenda of Mr. Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.secure Nigeria’s mineral resources.

The minister made this known via his official X handle late Thursday.

Persecondnews recalls that, as a result of the efforts of the presidential inter-ministerial committee on securing natural resources chaired by Mr. Alake, the Minister of Interior, Mr. Olubunmi Ojo, launched the NSCDC-led mines marshal a few weeks ago, which represents the first layer of the new security architecture to secure the mining environment.

Alake said: “In fulfilment of a major plank of my 7-point agenda to create a new security architecture to secure mining sites, we unveiled a 2,200-strong Mines Marshal to smoke out illegal miners and all those who flout our nation’s mining laws.

“I formally received the marshals drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and charged them to stem theft and all nefarious activities around our mineral resources to ensure we reap maximum benefits from our God-given resources.

“The Mines Marshal, as part of the new security architecture, will have their command and control domiciled in the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD), with an initial 60 operatives deployed in each state and the FCT.

“I commend my interior counterpart, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for working tirelessly with my ministry to achieve this feat, and I am pleased to launch the first batch of this security apparatus today.

“The Mines Marshal, an inter-agency security outfit, will also include special operatives from other security agencies and will operate with a focus on technological advancements.”

President Bola Tinubu had disclosed that his administration is working towards making solid minerals, Nigeria’s largest source of revenue.

He said: “Nigeria is open for business. We are willing to develop our God-given resources with genuine partners who share the vision of equitable distribution of wealth produced in our country with our people.

“We are ready to walk the talk of renewed hope with lovers of human development, to achieve the sustainable development goals of banishing poverty, disease, and hunger from our fatherland.

“Our administration shall wake up the sleeping giant that the solid minerals sector is today, to play its strategic role in the economy, by providing jobs for our people, improving the revenue accruable to the government, and establishing an industrial sector that is the envy of the world.

“Nigerians did it with the petroleum sector against the odds. Petroleum became our largest source of revenue. We shall do it again with the solid minerals sector, wiser and better, because we have learnt useful lessons.”