The Niger State Commissioner of Police CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman has called for aggressive action against illegal miners to reduce loss of lives across the state.
The CP, who made the call during a visit by state Commissioner for Mineral Resources Garba Sabo Yahaya to his office in Minna said urgent steps should be taken to tackle the activities of illegal miners who operate without safety measures in the state.
Danmamman was responding to a call by the Commissioner for Mineral Resources for support and assistance of the police in effectively addressing the issue of illegal mining.
Yahaya had told the CP during the visit that the ministry required the assistance of the police to carry out their activities successfully as it does not have the required manpower for enforcement and needs to partner with the Police and other security agencies in the state.
The CP noted that illegal mining is a great challenge and that security agencies must be brought together for a robust fight to reduce the trend to the barest minimum while the ministry must have in place a robust intelligence structure for information to help it and the mining security operations.
” It is one thing to be allowed to do something, but it is another thing to do things rightly, as the miners don’t put measures in place to reduce risk as observed during the last rescue operation. The miners did not provide an ambulance and there was no first aid equipment, ” Danmamman observed.
He also called for the engagement of traditional leaders and the media for sensitization of the public against unsafe and illegal mining, adding that ” illegal and unsafe miners must be pursued for safety and that the effort must be aggressive”.
Furthemore, Danmamman stressed on the need for setting up Zonal offices by the ministry, considering the size of the State.
” The government could also be advised on revocation of land ownership from anyone found to be leasing lands for illegal and unsafe mining in the State, ” the CP added.
