The Federal Authorities has ramped up its crackdown on unlawful mining actions throughout northern Nigeria, with vital progress recorded by the Mining Marshals since their institution in March 2024.
Talking at a press convention in Abuja, the Minister of Strong Minerals Improvement, Dele Alake stated the particular enforcement unit has arrested 327 unlawful miners and recovered 98 mining websites, restoring entry to official operators.
Alake disclosed that 147 people are at the moment going through prosecution in numerous courts.
“One of the notable operations came about in Kogi State at North-South Extractive Industries Restricted, the place over 3,000 unlawful miners had been flushed out from Mining Lease 19325 in Jagula,” the minister stated.
“These miners had been illegally extracting gold, stopping the licensed house owners from working since 2016. The Mining Marshals restored management to the rightful license holders and stationed personnel on-site for continued enforcement,” he added.
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In Kwara State, authorities secured the convictions of overseas unlawful miners, together with Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, marking a decisive transfer in opposition to non-Nigerians concerned in unlawful mining operations.
Equally, in Abuja, the Mining Marshals reclaimed a number of websites, together with these operated by Ganan Mining Restricted in Kuje.
Extra unlawful mining websites had been recognized and focused in Niger, Zamfara, and Kaduna States areas the place unlawful mining has lengthy fueled insecurity, together with banditry and terrorism financing.
Minister Alake emphasised that the intensified enforcement has considerably deterred unlawful mining, which had beforehand crippled official companies and undermined authorities income.
He reaffirmed the administration’s dedication to increasing enforcement operations, enhancing safety, and maximizing income technology from the stable minerals sector.
To bolster these efforts, the variety of Mining Marshals has elevated from 2,200 to 2,679, with an extra 450 recruits added up to now 12 months.
The federal government can also be engaged on integrating superior monitoring applied sciences, together with satellite tv for pc imaging, drones, and miniature robots, to trace mining actions extra successfully.
Safety companies, together with the Nigerian Military, Navy, and Air Power, have performed an important position in supporting the crackdown, guaranteeing the safety of mining belongings and bonafide operators throughout the nation.
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