The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, says a rejuvenated security regime will become active in the solid minerals sector in October.
He said this will include the Mine Police, sourced from the Nigeria Police and specially trained to detect illegal mining and apprehend offenders.
Alake disclosed this at a press conference on Sunday in Abuja the unveiling of the Transformation Agenda for the sector.
He explained that the new Mines Surveillance Security Task Force would coordinate the Mines Police and pro-actively address high risk incidences of breach of Mining Laws.
The minister added that the Federal and State governments would also be encouraged to allocate the prosecution of cases against illegal miners to competent courts.
Alake added that there was a consensus among all stakeholders in the industry that the most pernicious obstacle to the security of the investment environment is the massive presence of illegal miners.
The minister explained that the demographic, economic, and security implications of their roles have encouraged, on the part of the government, the formalisation of their role by organising them into cooperatives registered by the government for the transition from illegal miners to artisanal co-operatives.
He added that this strategy has led government through the Solid Minerals Development Fund and other agencies to foster their human capacity development through training in modern mining methods or technical competencies in information communications technology, mechanical and electrical repairs of mineral exploration machinery and business methods book-keeping.
The minister noted the strategy has also led to institutional formalization through the construction of various markets by the Ministry.
He stressed that such markets include the International Gemstone market, Ibadan, Oyo State, Kaolin Processing Centre, Alkaleri, Bauchi State; Lead/Zinc Processing Centre, Ubulu, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Baryte Processing Centre, Ogoja and the Gold Souk, Kumbosto, Kano State.
The minister stated: It is obvious that government’s strategy for the development of the sector has been driven by the accommodation and mainstreaming of artisanal miners.
“However, despite these generous and patriotic gestures, there exist till exists those who have defied all entreaties to join co-operatives and be formalised. They prefer to continue to operate as illegal miners.
“For the last time, let me declare that the Ministry is giving such persons 30 days grace to join a miners’ co-operative or find another vocation to do. On the expiration of the period, the full weight of the law will fall on anyone seen on a mining site without a determinable status. This message will be interpreted into Nigerian languages and broadcast on the radio to ensure no one is ignorant of this directive.”