Director General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Professor Olusegun Omoniyi Ige, has hailed the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ (NSCDC’s) effort to clean up the nation’s mining industry through its Special Mining Marshals’ strategic operations nationwide.
He said the operations had continued to yield positive dividends.
The recent wave of enforcement activities was led by the Commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshal, ACC Attah John Onoja.
In a press statement by CSC Afolabi Babawale, the National Public Relations Officer, Abuja, the overt and covert operations by the Marshal had not only disrupted illegal mining operations but had also significantly boosted compliance with industry’s rule regulations.
Stakeholders in the mining industry have also expressed excitement and have commended the NSCDC under the able leadership of Commandant General Ahmed Abubakar Audi over the progress made by the Special Mining Marshals, noting that their efforts have led to a safer and more regulated sector.
Ige attributed the overwhelming compliance with mining guidelines to the tenacious work of the NSCDC mining marshals.
According to him, “The continued arrests and clampdown in illegal miners have forced others to comply with the operational rules and regulation in the mining sector and gradually sanity is returning to the economically viable sector of the nation.”
The meeting was an avenue to further strengthen the existing synergy between both agencies in attaining a safer and better mining sector in Nigeria.
The Special Mining Marshals, a dedicated task force under the purposeful leadership of Dr Abubakar Ahmed Audi have been relentless in their mission to secure mining areas, protect legal mining title holders, and ensure adherence to regulatory frameworks.
Their operations have effectively dislodged illegal miners and criminal elements, strengthening the integrity of Nigeria’s mining sector.
With the surge in compliance, stakeholders believe the ongoing enforcement will create an enabling environment for sustainable mining activities, attract investment, and curb the environmental degradation often associated with illegal mining.
