The Federal Government has declined a proposal to create the Nigeria Mines Ranger Service (NMRS), which was aimed at addressing illegal and artisanal mining. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), several government ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Solid Minerals Development, Justice, and Interior, as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), opposed the establishment of this new body due to concerns about overlapping responsibilities with the NSCDC.
At a public hearing in Abuja, Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, represented by Dr Patrick Eoyan, Director of Legal Services, and Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake expressed reservations about the proposal. They suggested that strengthening the existing Special Mines Surveillance Task Force (SMSTF) would be a more efficient approach to combating illegal mining. Additionally, they recommended leveraging technology, such as drone surveillance, to enhance monitoring and enforcement in mining areas.
The bill, introduced by Senator Ogoshi Onawo (PDP-Nasarawa), sought to create a specialised security force for mining operations to enforce regulatory compliance and protect Nigeria’s mineral resources. However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Diket Plang, highlighted the importance of creating laws that improve security and support Nigeria’s economic productivity. He urged lawmakers to focus on revising and strengthening existing laws to ensure that mineral extraction benefits the economy without harming citizens’ welfare and safety.
Separately, Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake announced plans to form a dedicated mining police force that would operate under the Ministry of Solid Minerals. This new force would oversee security in the solid mineral sector and be directly accountable to ministry officials. Additionally, a special security outfit may soon be deployed in economically vital but insecure regions, particularly those facing significant agricultural and resource production disruptions. In recent months, the NSCDC has deployed 10,000 agro-rangers to enhance security in key agricultural zones across the country, in response to the growing insecurity linked to illegal exploitation of resources, including crude oil and solid minerals.