NSCDC, Ebonyi Govt Ban Illegal Mining, Vow Arrest of Offenders

……Warn marketers against buying, selling illegally mined minerals

By Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

The Nigeria Security and Civil defense Corps (NSCDC), Ebonyi State Command, and the Ebonyi State Ministry of Solid Minerals Development have declared a ban on illegal mining activities in the state, warning operators and their collaborators that offenders will face the full weight of the law.

The NSCDC Commandant in Ebonyi State, Francis Nnadi, and the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chinedu Nkah, gave the warning on Thursday during a joint press conference held at the NSCDC State Command Headquarters in Abakaliki.

Nnadi said the command would no longer tolerate illegal mining, stressing that individuals engaged in unlicensed mining activities should either regularize their operations in accordance with the law or leave the state.

He explained that artisan and small-scale miners were required to meet stipulated conditions and obtain the necessary licenses and authorizations before engaging in mining activities.

The commandant also warned marketers and buyers of solid minerals operating without the requisite licenses to desist from patronizing illegal miners, saying anyone caught buying or selling illegally sourced minerals would be prosecuted.

Nnadi said the NSCDC would work closely with the state government, local communities and other security agencies to tackle illegal mining and protect the state’s mineral resources.

According to him, the corps would also intensify its efforts to protect critical infrastructure across the state, warning contractors and others against vandalizing fiber-optic cables, transformers and other installations belonging to government and telecommunications companies.

He said contractors who destroy critical infrastructure in the course of their operations would be held accountable, adding that the NSCDC was already collaborating with relevant ministries, communities and security agencies to ensure that such acts were curtailed.

The commandant further assured residents of adequate security during the forthcoming local government elections, saying security agencies in the state were working together to maintain law and order and protect the fundamental rights of citizens.

He described Ebonyi as one of the peaceful states in the Southeast and commended Governor Francis Nwifuru, the Federal Government and the NSCDC Commandant-General for their support to security agencies in maintaining peace in the state.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chinedu Nkah, described illegal mining as a serious threat to the economic development of Ebonyi State, noting that solid minerals remained one of the state’s major sources of revenue.

Nkah said the state government could not allow activities capable of sabotaging the solid minerals sector to continue, stressing that illegal mining and the unlawful removal of mineral resources deprived both the state and Federal Government of revenue.

He, however, clarified that artisan and small-scale mining was permitted by law, provided operators obtained the necessary licenses and registered with the appropriate authorities.

The commissioner urged artisan miners to identify with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development so that the government could maintain accurate data on legitimate operators and distinguish them from illegal miners.

He also warned marketers of solid minerals to register with the ministry and disclose the sources of the minerals they trade, stressing that the government must be able to trace the origin of mined products.

Nkah further warned miners against abandoning mining pits without proper reclamation, saying operators must have plans to recover and secure mining sites after extracting the minerals.

He said the state government would work with the NSCDC and other security agencies to go after illegal miners as well as individuals and businesses that aid them through the purchase and marketing of illegally sourced minerals.

The commissioner disclosed that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development was establishing a task force and would collaborate with the NSCDC to train its members on their responsibilities, lawful procedures and effective cooperation with security agencies.

He said the task force would assist security agencies by providing relevant information on illegal mining activities and the unlawful movement of mineral products, particularly those allegedly removed from mining sites at night.

Nkah noted that the collaboration was aimed at protecting the state’s mineral resources, strengthening revenue generation and ensuring that mining activities were conducted in accordance with the law.

Both officials urged residents, traditional institutions and local communities to support the campaign against illegal mining by providing relevant information to security agencies, assuring the public that the government was determined to protect Ebonyi’s mineral resources for the benefit of its people.