An illicit quarrying operation in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, has been closed by the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Thirteen defendants have been charged in court and are awaiting official arraignment after being arrested in connection with the illegal actions.
The operation represents another significant step in the government’s nationwide war on unlawful mining and was conducted as part of continuing national efforts to sanitise the mining industry and safeguard vital national assets.
Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Attah John Onoja, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, said in a statement on Thursday that the suspects were employed by a business that had allegedly occupied and exploited a quarry lease owned by another licensed mining company for more than seven months without any legal support. “This operation underscores our commitment to zero tolerance for illegality in the Nigerian mining sector,” Onoja was quoted as saying in the release.
“We will not allow any individual or company to take the law into their own hands or deprive legitimate operators of their lawful rights.”
A dedicated division of the NSCDC called the Mining Marshals was recently tasked with addressing Nigeria’s pervasive illicit mining problem, which has led to financial loss, environmental damage, and intercommunal strife across the nation.
Enforcing adherence to mining rules and making sure that all mining operations throughout the federation are carried out within the legal parameters are additional duties assigned to the unit.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, whose strategic leadership continues to direct the Corps’ efforts in reducing illegalities throughout vital national sectors, provides the Mining Marshals with motivation in the form of implicit guidance.
Concerns over the increasing number of illegal and unregulated mining activities, especially in rural or peri-urban regions where enforcement has historically been lax, have led to the closure of the Kuje site. There was a risk to the environment and public safety since the location in question had been operating without the required paperwork, safety procedures, or environmental protections.
Onoja went on to caution all mining operators that they must make sure that all current mining and environmental regulations are followed, or else they risk being held fully accountable.
“Let this serve as a warning to all illegal operators. The era of impunity in the mining sector is over. We will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute all violators, no matter how remote or discreet their operations may be,” he said.
As investigations proceed, the 13 suspects who are presently in jail will be charged in court in the days ahead.
As part of the larger national plan to diversify the economy and improve internal security, authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to bringing order, transparency, and accountability back to Nigeria’s mining environment.
