Miners Caution Against Proposed Mining Ban Over Security Concerns

The Miners Association of Nigeria has opposed calls for a nationwide suspension of mining activities, warning that the move could worsen insecurity instead of resolving it. The association argued that licensed operators are not responsible for crimes linked to mining sites and that only illegal mining activities have connections to banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal acts.

The group’s leadership stated that the proposed ban unfairly targets legitimate miners who comply with regulations and contribute to local employment and economic development. They noted that criminals engaged in illegal mining would likely remain unaffected by the ban due to weak enforcement mechanisms, leaving law-abiding operators to bear the consequences.

The calls for suspension followed concerns raised by northern governors who advocated for halting mining to enable audits and revalidation of operational licences amid rising security challenges in some states. However, miners insist that previous statewide bans failed to achieve the intended security improvements and, in some cases, coincided with a surge in criminal activities rather than a reduction.

Instead of a blanket ban, the association urged the government to strengthen surveillance, improve regulation of mining operations, and enhance collaboration between security agencies and mining regulators. They maintained that a targeted approach against illegal mining would be more effective in addressing insecurity while protecting legitimate economic activities.