The federal government on Thursday rejected a bill seeking to establish a special security outfit that would specifically secure mining sites in the country.
The development is despite the increasing illegal mining activities in the country with its attendant security challenges.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, opposed the establishment of the proposed legislation at a public hearing on the bill held at the National Assembly.
The bill was titled: “Bill to establish Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS)” and it was sponsored by the senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District, Onawo Ogoshi.
Alake was represented by Umar Bala, an official from the inspectorate department of the mining ministry.
He argued that the proposed outfit would be duplicating the activities of the agency monitoring illegal mining operations in the country.
He said rather than establishing a new security agency, the National Assembly could make laws to strengthen the operation of the Special Mines Surveillance Task Force which is the government’s primary security agency monitoring mining operations.
Alake said: “The special mines surveillance task force comprises more security agencies who operate under the coordination of the National Security Advisor under the supervision of the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development.
“It offers the best option as an integrated approach to combating illegal mining activities. If government does not collaborate and share intelligence as an integrated approach, effectively combating illegal mining could be elusive.
“I therefore call on the Senate committee to consider and adopt the special Mines Surveillance Task Force and its standard operation procedure.
“It is a better alternative to the Nigerian Mines Ranger Service because the mine surveillance task force comprises all the security agencies and they work together to tackle the issue of illegal mining activities across the nation.”
Alake recommended deploying technological devices to monitor mining activities as parts of the methods to curb illegal mining activities.
“The deployment of technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles or drones specifically targeted to the mining sector can complement the current kinetic approach of surveillance by providing real-time information in digital format”, he added.
Also an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Interior, Geraldine Okafor, argued that creating a new agency would duplicate functions of the existing mining security agency.
She said rather than creating another agency, the government should better equip personnel of the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to carry out the task.
“The Ministry is of the view that if the existing agencies especially the civil defence is well equipped, trained along with other mines task force, they can do a lot of this work rather than duplicating this assignment,’ she said.
On his part, the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, said there is a unit under the agency that also has the capacity to provide security for mining sites.
He said: “We are strongly opposed to the provision of this bill as presently constituted. We vehemently hold that the proposed establishment of the Nigerian Mines Rangers and their function is an infringement in the core mandate of NSCDC.
“The bill is not just a duplication of the NSCDC Act and its mandate, it is also an attempt to usurp the mandates that are still given to the Corps, and in a disguised way, handing it over to the police through the back.”
The NSCDC Commandant claimed that the Corps has destroyed over 100 illegal mining sites, arrested more than 50 suspects, including foreign nationals, and currently has over 30 cases in court.
Defending the bill, Ogoshi argued that the existing security agencies monitoring mining operations have not been effective in curbing illegal mining activities in the country.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Ekong Sampson, said all submissions of those who spoke at the public hearing would be considered.
Sunday Aborisade
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