To strengthen the Nation’s Minerals sector, the Federal government is partnering the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, to curtain criminal and terrorist finance related to minerals.
UNODC’s Project Co-ordinator on counter-terrorism, Mr. Tom Parker, stated this when he led a delegation to a meeting with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake in Abuja
Mr. Parker who lauded the Minister for the establishment of the Mining Marshals and other measures to combat illegal mining, emphasized
that the agency will work with the ministry to implement the project.
On his part, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake expressed delight at the significant support that the project would give to the efforts of the federal government to combat illegal mining and other crimes funded by proceeds of illicit mining of natural resources.
Dr. Alake explained that the Mining Marshals were created from the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to avoid the constitutional challenges of setting up a new security outfit.
“In the illegal mining area, we set up the Mining Marshals. When I got in here, I discovered we needed a new security architecture specifically for the mining sector. I sought the permission of Mr. President to set up Mining Marshals, and they’ve been doing a good job arresting and prosecuting illegal miners” Alake stressed.
“The essence is to send a strong message that it can’t be business as usual. And it is yielding salutary effects. A lot of operators are trying to regularise their operations and are obeying the mining laws, “he said.
The minister said the president has approved a new satellite monitoring system for mines to further curb malpractices and enable the security operatives to identify the location of the incident and mobilise the necessary forces to the site.
By Georgina Humphrey
