SENATE TELLS FG TO STRENGTHEN REGULATION TO CURB ILLEGAL MINING

Read Time:1 Minute, 43 Second

In order to stop further incursions by unofficial miners, the Senate has requested that the Federal Government bolster regulations pertaining to mining activities in Nigeria in accordance with international best practices and provide sufficient security to the mining communities.

This resolution was the result of a motion made on Monday, June 3, 2024, by Sen. Sani Musa on the urgent need to resolve the rockslide disaster that buried over thirty people alive in a mining site in Farin Doki Community, Shiroro Local Government, Niger State.

SENATE URGES PRES. TINUBU TO REVIEW STRATEGIES TO COMBAT BANDITRY

In order to expedite the adoption of the Mine Ranger Bill, which is presently before the Senate, the Senate also ordered its committee on solid minerals to perform an on-the-spot assessment of the site and look into the immediate and remote source of the rockslide.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibril, stated that the Federal Government is consistently underpaid (particularly by foreigners) because the industry is exploited without following international best practices. He then called for a minute of silence in remembrance of the victims of the tragic incident.

In the meantime, 14 more people are still trapped and waiting to be rescued from the collapsed mine in the Galkago community in the Shiroro area of Niger State, where 20 confirmed deaths have occurred.

Shawulu Danmamman, the Niger State Commissioner of Police, made this claim during his Wednesday visit to the mining site.

It was thought that the Monday incident occurred as a result of the heavy rainfall softening the soil.

According to Hussaini Ibrahim, the spokesman for the Niger State Emergency Service Agency, a mining hole collapsed, trapping 30 people—including the site manager—and resulting in multiple injuries and one verified death.

During his examination of the mine, the police commissioner stated that the operators of the now-collapsed mining operation did not prioritize worker welfare or safety protocols.

Bello Muhammad, the state commissioner of homeland security, and Garba Auna, the commissioner of solid minerals, followed the commissioner.