The Miners Association of Nigeria has rejected the proposal by the Northern States Governors’ Forum to suspend mining activities across Northern Nigeria in response to rising insecurity.
In a statement jointly signed by Dele Ayanleke, national president, and Sulaiman Liman, national secretary, on Sunday, the Association described the call as misguided.
It stated that insecurity affects all sectors, noting that the concentration of criminal activities around farms and mining sites is due to the remote nature of these locations.
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The Association added that no proven link exists between legal mining and terrorism, banditry or kidnapping.
It said only illegal mining, operating outside government regulation, fuels crime, arguing that grouping legal and illegal mining together is wrong.
The Association noted that all its members hold valid mineral titles and operate responsibly, adding that they support security agencies and implement community development projects. It warned that a blanket suspension would punish legitimate operators and worsen unemployment, deepening poverty and heightening insecurity.
It recalled the 2019 ban on mining in Zamfara State, saying the ban failed to curb banditry and kidnapping, and that the problem later spread to Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi states.
The Association argued that bans typically empower illegal miners and their sponsors, adding that criminals take advantage of poorly enforced restrictions. It noted that illegal miners often exchange minerals for arms, worsening insecurity.
It also warned that suspending mining would damage investor confidence.
The Association commended Henry Oladele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, for attracting investment and sanitising the sector, but maintained that the call for fresh auditing and revalidation of mineral titles is not legally sound.
It urged Northern governors to channel part of their security votes into supporting the mining marshals and other security structures that can curb illegal mining.
The Association compared the situation to the Niger Delta, noting that “petroleum production was never suspended during militancy; the Federal Government instead adopted homegrown solutions and joint task forces.”
It said calls for title revalidation resemble demands for resource control, noting that this contradicts the Constitution, which places mineral resources on the Exclusive Legislative List.
The Association urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly to reject the proposed mining ban, saying the economic and security costs outweigh any potential gains.
The statement ended with a call for sustainable solutions and prayers for national peace.
