Worried by the worsening insecurity situation, the Benue State government has set up Mining Marshals.
The primary duty of the mining marshals,drawn from mainly personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, is to safeguard lives and property around sites and communities within Benue State
The state government is taking a cue from Dr Dele Alake, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, who recently flagged off Mining Marshals at the Federal level.
Speaking at the formal inauguration of the new body, the Chairman, Mineral Resources and Environment Committee (MIREMCO), Benue State, Hon. Barr. Fidelis Bemsen Mnyim, said the Committee is saddled with the responsibility of helping both the Federal and State governments to sieve the chaffs from the grains by identifying and separating the illegal miners from the legal miners.
While emphasising the need for proper documentation of the legal miners, Mnyim, who doubles as the Attorney-General and Commissioner For Justice and Public Order, stated that the importance of this documentation is what necessitated the suspension of mining activities by the Governor.
Noting that illegal mining breeds insecurity and many other social voices like drug peddling, child labour, and many others, he said the need to put an end to these ugly trends was what gave birth to the establishment of mining marshals as a child of necessity, which according to him, is an initiative of the federal government to assist in securing mining sites and mining communities across the country.
Mnyim congratulated Governor Rev. Hyacinth Iormem Alia for being the first governor in the country to replicate the mining marshals at the state level, saying he wasn’t surprised by this proactiveness, as his administration is one that pays attention to details.
In his keynote address, the Governor of Benue State, Rev Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr.Sam Ode, charged Mining Marshals to in synergy with MIREMCO, promote, project, and defend the interest of the people of Benue State with particular emphasis on illegal mining activities, and the protection of lives and properties around the mining sites.
The Governor said the suspension placed on mining activities in the state will ensure miners are properly verified and their data collated.
