The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake has announced the deployment of 350 operatives to the mining marshals.
Mr. Alake made the announcement on X, formerly Twitter on Friday, stressing that the latest deployment is a testament to the federal government’s dedication to reforming the mining sector.
He noted that the accomplishments of the mining marshals in significantly reducing illegal mineral haulage and unauthorized activities of operators nationwide cannot be overemphasised.
“Since the inauguration of the initial 2,220 mining marshals, we have made progress with over 200 arrests of illegal mining suspects, 133 prosecutions in progress, and confiscated minerals forfeited to the federal government,” he said.
The minister explained that the passing out parade of the second batch of mining marshals will bolster the ministry’s numbers, thereby ensuring broader coverage and enhancing the squad’s operational efficiency.
“By fostering collaboration between mining marshals and Federal Mines Officers (FMO) nationwide, we aim to enhance sector cleanliness, build investor trust, attract more investments, and stimulate development in the mining industry,” he added.
He further disclosed that the induction of the new operatives takes the total number of specially trained and equipped mining marshals deployed across the country to 2,570.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Mary Ogbe who represented him at the passing out parade for the new operatives at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters commended the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the NSCDC for their joint efforts in tackling illegal mining.
