Miners Association Of Nigeria Warns Against Mining Suspension

The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), the umbrella body for all mineral title holders in the country, has rejected the proposal by the Northern Governors’ Forum and elders calling for a suspension of mining activities in Northern Nigeria as a solution to the region’s worsening insecurity.

In a detailed statement addressed to the President, the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly, the Association said it “wishes to lend its voice” to the discussion, stressing that while it recognizes the dire security situation and prays for a permanent solution, “it is imperative to critically scrutinize these recommendations in the face of antecedents and in the nation’s economic interest.”

Addressing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly, the Association described itself as a responsible body of patriotic corporate and individual citizens, presenting its position for objective consideration.

According to the group, insecurity is “a national malaise that cuts across all sectors,” adding that criminal activities in rural areas especially agrarian and mining corridors are largely due to the remote locations of farms and mine sites, which are far from secured metropolitan areas.

The Association insisted that “a nexus has not been established between legal mining and terrorism, banditry and kidnapping,” explaining that it is disorderly illegal mining, carried out without licences or government regulation, that fuels money laundering and insecurity. “A clear distinction must be made between legal and illegal mining,” it argued, calling the stigmatization of legal mining “a misnomer.”

It emphasized that all its members are mineral title holders engaged in legal, responsible and environmentally friendly mining operations. The group noted that legitimate miners work with security agencies, implement statutory Community Development Projects, and supply raw materials to local industries and export markets.

The Association cautioned that lumping legal miners with illegal operators and placing a blanket ban on mining in the North would be “most unjust”, adding that such action “would create mass unemployment, aggravate the existing multi-dimensional poverty and increase insecurity.”

The Association referenced past government actions, recalling that banning mining in Nigeria has not produced positive results. It noted that after the 2019 ban on mining in Zamfara State, “the waves of banditry, kidnappings, terrorism and illegal mining have been escalating… and spread widely to neighboring states.”

It further warned that legitimate miners are usually the victims of such bans, as they are denied access to their minefields by security operatives, while “illegal miners turned bandits and terrorists would be feeding fat” on mineral resources under the support of local and foreign sponsors. This situation, it added, is worsened by inadequate government logistics and personnel to enforce compliance.

The Association added that unrestricted access to minerals in banned locations empowers criminals who exchange minerals for arms and ammunition. It also warned that banning mining would cause huge investment losses and damage Nigeria’s credibility as an investment destination.

It noted that the call for suspension comes at a time when the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Henry Oladele Alake, is promoting major reforms, attracting investment, and implementing a 7-Point Agenda to grow the sector. The Association described the governors’ proposal as “unfortunate” and “highly unpatriotic.”

The group also questioned the call for auditing and revalidation of existing mineral titles, stating that such a process “is not legally or procedurally tenable.”

It instead urged Northern Governors to use portions of their security votes or make special budgetary allocations to strengthen the Mining Marshal outfit and improve logistics and manpower to combat illegal mining which they described as “a precursor to criminality.”

On constitutional grounds, the Association said the call for revalidation of mining licenses is akin to agitation for resource control and fundamentally contradicts the constitution, which places mineral management under the Exclusive Legislative List.

In its final statement, the Miners Association reiterated its position, declaring: “We hereby reject the call for the banning of mining activities in any part of the country” and appealed to President Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council, and the National Assembly to “outrightly reject this call, as the negatives of such action overwhelmingly outweigh the positives.”