By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday opposed a bill to establish a special security outfit to specifically secure mining sites in the country.
This came despite the increasing illegal mining activities in the country and its attendant security challenges.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, opposed establishing the proposed legislation at a public hearing on the bill held at the National Assembly.
The bill, titled “Bill to Establish Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS),” was sponsored by Onawo Ogoshi, the senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District.
Umar Bala, an official from the inspectorate department of the mining ministry, represented Alake.
He argued that the proposed outfit would duplicate the agency’s monitoring of illegal mining operations in the country.
He said that rather than establishing a new security agency, the National Assembly could make laws to strengthen the operation of the Special Mines Surveillance Task Force, which is the government’s primary security agency that monitors mining operations.
Alake said, “The special mine surveillance task force comprises more security agencies, which operate under the coordination of the National Security Advisor and the supervision of the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development.
“It offers the best option as an integrated approach to combating illegal mining activities. If the government does not collaborate and share intelligence as an integrated approach, effectively combating illegal mining could be elusive.
“I, therefore, call on the Senate committee to consider and adopt the special Mines Surveillance Task Force and its standard operation procedure.
“It is a better alternative to the Nigerian Mines Ranger Service because the mine surveillance task force comprises all the security agencies, and they work together to tackle the issue of illegal mining activities across the nation,” the minister said.
Alake recommended deploying technological devices to monitor mining activities as part of the methods to curb illegal mining activities.
Also, Geraldine Okafor, an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Interior, argued that creating a new agency would duplicate the functions of the existing mining security agency.
She said that rather than creating another agency, the government should better equip the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel to carry out the task.
On his part, the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, said there is a unit under the agency that also can provide security for mining sites.
The NSCDC Commandant claimed that the Corps has destroyed over 100 illegal mining sites, arrested more than 50 suspects, including foreign nationals, and currently has over 30 cases in court.
Defending the bill, Mr Ogoshi argued that the existing security agencies monitoring mining operations need to be more effective in curbing illegal mining activities in the country.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Ekong Sampson, said all submissions from those who spoke at the public hearing would be considered.
