Defence, Solid Minerals Ministries Partner To Secure Mining Sites

By Georgina Humphrey

Ministries of Solid Minerals Development and Defence is to partner in securing mining sites across the country.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake made this known when he hosted his defence counterpart, Abubakar Badaru, in Abuja.

Dr. Alake who stressed that the meeting was aimed at putting finishing touches to earlier discussions warned illegal miners and their sponsors, to desist from their activities.

“The Federal Government is committed to bringing the full weight of the law to bear on those that do not desist from these nefarious activities” the Solid Minerals Minister added.

On his part, the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, stated that the parley is in furtherance of collaboration to secure mining sites, across the country, reiterating the resolve of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to wipe out activities of illegal miners and banditry associated with it.

“The country needs to make huge revenue from mining, but insecurity is bedevilling the industry. That is why the minister is pushing so hard for us to provide serious protection around the mining areas” he said.

“That is why we discuss always to see how we can protect the mining environment, bring lasting peace to the country, so that mining will flourish and the country will earn the much needed foreign exchange from the sector” the Defence Minister added.

The Defence Minister emphasized that plans are underway for clearance operations at flash points as a prelude to the deployment of the specialised mining police as preparations have reached an advanced stage to get the data of all mining sites in the country to enable coordinated security operations.

This is the second time in three weeks that the minister of Defence is visiting Dr. Alake to rub minds on how to eliminate illegal mining in Nigeria.

Edited By Grace Namiji