The Federal Government has tasked the 2,220-strong Mines Marshal dubbed ‘Hayakin Kogo’ with rooting out illegal miners and enforcing the nation’s mining laws.
This was contained in a statement signed by Segun Tomori.
According to the statement, The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, revealed this as he received the marshals from NSCDC Commandant-General, Abubakar Audi on Thursday.
“The launch of the marshals fulfills the minister’s commitment to establishing a new security framework for safeguarding mining sites,” added Alake, representing Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
“We urge the new operatives to combat theft and illicit activities surrounding our mineral resources, ensuring maximum benefit for the nation,”he stated.
Highlighting the role played by his interior counterpart in the evolution of the new security outfit, Alake commended Olubunmi-Ojo for putting words to actions and working tirelessly with the solid minerals ministry to achieve the feat.
“Today’s event of unveiling and formally handing over the specially trained and selected civil defence structure to engage illegal miners and sanitise our mining environment was also part of what we conceived at the inter-ministerial committee chaired by me.
“I am very happy to let the public know that from the outset we said are going to tackle insecurity in the mining sector and the first batch of the security apparatus is what we are launching today,” the Minister added
The mines marshal devised to be an inter-agency security outfit will incorporate special operatives from other security agencies like the Nigeria Police, army, amongst others. Its operations will largely be technologically driven.
In his remarks, NSCDC Commandant-General, Abubakar Audi stated that the new mines marshal will give verve to the corps’ mandate of protecting national assets and infrastructure in which solid minerals is a major component.