The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has vowed that those responsible for the killing of a police officer during an operation against illegal mining activities in Niger State will be brought to justice.
The incident occurred on Wednesday during a joint patrol operation involving the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), and local security operatives known as Anti-Drugs Control (ADC), in collaboration with Millennium Metals Mining Company.
Alake made this known in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Niger State Commandant of the NSCDC, Suberu Aniviye, said the officer was killed at Zuzungi, Kataeregi, in Katcha Local Government Area of the state. Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Aniviye explained that the attack occurred during a routine operation aimed at curbing illegal mining and preventing the smuggling of solid minerals from the mining site operated by Millennium Metals Mining Company.
He said the joint security team came under attack from armed illegal miners while intercepting suspected smugglers. During the attack, a police officer was killed, and an NSCDC Hilux patrol vehicle was set ablaze.
Reacting to the development, Dr Alake disclosed that relevant security and intelligence agencies have been placed on red alert to ensure the perpetrators are tracked down and prosecuted.
“Those involved will be smoked out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” the minister said.
He added that the arrest and prosecution of the suspects would serve as a deterrent to others engaging in illegal mining activities.
“The illegal miners responsible for the murder of this gallant officer in active service will be punished accordingly. This administration has zero tolerance for illegal mining and will continue to defend its personnel,” Alake stated.
The minister, who recently established the NSCDC Mining Marshals to strengthen enforcement of mining laws, said the killing of the officer and the burning of official property would not deter the Federal Government’s resolve to sanitise the sector.
“This unfortunate incident will not weaken the Federal Government’s determination to secure the solid minerals sector and protect legitimate miners and host communities,” he said.
Alake further noted that strong investor interest in Nigeria’s mining sector, as seen at the ongoing Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, South Africa, underscores the need for government to sustain confidence in the industry by confronting violent and illegal actors.