Crackdown on Illegal Mining: FG Takes Action in Kogi State
The measures taken by the federal government to address the issue of illegal mining have shown positive results, with the confiscation of 10 trucks and the charges brought against individuals for the unauthorized possession and transportation of minerals.
A team of Mining Marshals, constituting members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, achieved a significant breakthrough by apprehending 10 individuals on the Itobe-Ajokuta Road in Kogi State. These individuals were found in possession of minerals, yet lacked the requisite documentation stipulated by the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and Mining Regulations, 2011.
Following an investigation, it was revealed that the suspects had obtained the minerals from illegal miners in Kogi State, without acquiring the appropriate mining titles, maintaining records, or paying the required royalties. Furthermore, certain companies were found to have unlawfully engaged third-party agents in the procurement of minerals from a community in Ankpa LGA, Kogi State.
Consequently, the suspects in question have been taken to court, and the directors of the implicated companies have been summoned for interrogation.
Attah John Onoja, the commander of the Mining Marshals, expressed the unit’s dedication to maintaining its operations at full capacity to ensure compliance with the laws and regulations governing the mining sector in Nigeria. He also urged stakeholders to support the Minister of Solid Minerals in his efforts to cleanse the Nigerian mining sector.
This crackdown is reportedly part of the Minister’s comprehensive plan to revamp the mining sector, which encompasses seven key points. This development signifies a significant step towards reestablishing order in the country’s mining industry and the ethical exploitation of mineral resources in accordance with the law.
