FG inaugurates mining marshals to combat illegal mining

THE Federal Government has inaugurated Mining Marshals alongside operational and utility vehicles to tackle the menace of illegal mining and economic sabotage across the nation.

Mining Marshals, a unit created by the Commandant-General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Abubakar Audi, were drawn from the 36 States and FCT Commands of NSCDC, to be deployed to tackle activities of illegal miners in over 1,975 illegal mining sites across the country.

Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, speaking during the inauguration of the Marshals in Abuja, decried the menace of illegal mining in Nigeria, saying the creation of Mining Marshals was a good move to enhance the capacity of the officers and men to appropriately discharge the Corps’ statutory duties in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.

The commissioning coincided with the commemoration of the 2024 World Civil Defence Day with the theme: Honour Heroes and Promote Safety Skills as spelt out by the Secretary General of the International Civil Defence Organisation (ICDO).

He noted that with over eight weeks of rugged and regimental training to protect, secure and preserve the nation’s solid minerals from the unscrupulous activities of illegal miners, the officers would change the narratives of the event.

Tunji-Ojo who described the assignment as one of the most important duties which the Corps must perform, further stressed the need for the Marshals to identify and fish out the illegal miners, apprehend, investigate and prosecute all culpable suspects.

He decried the spate of illegal mining activities in the nation, affirming that over 1,975 illegal mining sites have been detected across the country.

He charged the Commander of the CG’s Marshal, CSC John Onoja Ata on the need to work hard and in collaboration with other security agencies.

While pledging the Minister’s support, Tunji-Ojo lauded the NSCDC CG whose administration had always emphasized the protection of critical national assets and Infrastructure (CNAI), saying the renewed hope of the present government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu implies ensuring that normal things are ensured.

The Minister noted that the time for NSCDC to live up to its mandate is now while charging the CG to get a workable implementation plan to end the vandalisation of power installation, telecommunication lines and solid minerals.

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On the regulation of activities of Private Guard Companies, he disclosed that soon the Ministry of Interior would meet to review the registration adding that “we will not rest until criminals are smoked out and the critical national assets are protected.”

Also, speaking earlier in an address to mark this year’s World Civil Defence and his 3rd anniversary as the third substantive Commandant General of NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, highlighted the achievements of his administration including the establishment of CG’s Special Intelligence Squad which has destroyed over 200 illegal refineries, arrested over 500 suspects and convicted more than 200.

Others are the establishment of a formidable Female Special Squad which has thwarted 48 attacks on schools, training and retraining, reinvigoration of the Anti-vandal Unit, procurement of equipment with the support of the government and involvement in almost all Joint Security Operations.

Audi further revealed that the Agro Rangers Unit has been reactivated to provide security to farmers and agro-allied investments, the introduction of career development courses as well as developed standard curriculum for all the seven NSCDC training colleges among other successes.

As part of strategies to cater for the welfare of personnel, the Commandant General announced the payment of the group life and accident insurance benefits to 175 personnel who either sustained injuries in service or died saying they would be given cheques of various sums of money to ameliorate their sufferings.

Other highlights of the occasion were the presentation of goodwill messages, simulation exercises by different departments reflecting the mandates of the Corps, the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Civil Defence Officers Wives Association (CDOWA) Schools, silent drills and ceremonial march-past.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE