The Federal Government has disclosed plans to create a special police outfit for the sole purpose of combating illegal mining across the country.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on strategies to be deployed by the Federal Government to increase the contribution of mining to the economy.
While responding to questions concerning challenges in the mining sector, Alake said the issue of insecurity will be handled through collaboration with different security agencies and the establishment of a special police outfit for that purpose.
“We found out through intelligence reports that some illegal miners are directly responsible for the upsurge of banditry in several parts of Nigeria,” he said.
“That is why I have been working with the various security agencies and the National security adviser, the outfit we are coming up with, and the President is fully in support of this. We are going to create a special police outfit. We’ll call it the Mining Police Force or the Mine Police.”
Alake noted that the proposed security outfit will not be restricted to the mining sector, but its operation will cover marine and the blue economy, adding that the special police force will be controlled by the Ministry of Solid Minerals and its personnel will answer to officials of the Ministry.
President, Miners Association of Nigeria, Dele Ayanleke in an interview with newsmen, also clamor for more security in the mining industry to combat illegal mining in the country.
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