FG reaffirms zero tolerance for illegal mining after NSCDC officer killed in Niger.

The Federal Government has restated its zero-tolerance policy on illegal mining following the killing of an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps during an enforcement operation in Niger State.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abuja by Segun Tomori, Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
According to the statement, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, condemned the attack and assured that those responsible would be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
It added that security and intelligence agencies have been placed on red alert to track down and apprehend those behind the killing.
The statement further revealed that the Mining Marshals, a specialised enforcement team established in partnership with the NSCDC, will be reinforced with additional arms and operational equipment to boost their effectiveness in tackling illegal mining activities across the country.
It stressed that the killing of the officer and the burning of an operational vehicle will not deter the Federal Government from sanitising the mining sector, protecting duly licensed operators, securing host communities, and maintaining investor confidence in Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.