TheCable

BY TEMITOPE AJAYI

That Nigeria has been badly managed before now is no longer news. Every institution of state designed to protect the country looked the other way while non-state actors and gangs run riot.

Nigeria never gave serious consideration to solid minerals development until the President Muhammadu Buhari- led administration made the sector and Agriculture the focal areas for its economic diversification agenda. Previous Ministers in charge of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development (formerly Ministry of Solid Minerals) appeared not to understand their mandate until Dr. Kayode Fayemi came on board.

In about two years in office, Dr. Fayemi and his team have set a good template for the transformation of the sector. The sector like Agriculture has continued to grow in contribution to employment generation and the GDP boing by NBS statistics.

Against the Mining Act which vests all mineral deposits in the hands of the Federal Government, the Ministry has creatively worked an administrative path for states to develop the minerals within each state through commercial ventures with local and foreign investors while the state also earn 13% derivation as applies to oil-producing states.

It was reported recently that the Federal Government team led by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Munguno (rtd), Dr. Fayemi, Mr. Dalong, Governor of Plateau State in company of fully armed soldiers in a military helicopter stormed Zurak Village in Plateau State where an illegal Mining Kingpin, Usman Abubakar (Dan China) reigns supreme.

Dan China, the dare-devil notorious illegal miner who operated like the Mexican drug lord, Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, had reportedly taken out well above N100billion worth of minerals (mainly Lead/Zinc and tin) out of the area illegally. This is not without the attendant environmental degradation of the communities and general insecurity in the area.

According to the statement released by the Ministry, Dan China has a long underground tunnel with rail track to his illegal mining sites. He has Chinese nationals working illegally with him. Security agents arrested 16 Chinese alongside 8 other Nigerians working at the site when the FG team stormed the site.

Dan China, it was learnt has an uncanny way of compromising every top officers of security agencies in the state and the local government over the years. According to the locals when a new head of security outfit is posted to the state and local government, Dan China will build a house for them with huge money. Anyone that doesn’t play ball he will ensure transfer. Local people and Chiefs that do not cooperate get killed. He unleashed maximum terror to instil fear into the local populace. The Traditional ruler of Zurak said Dan China and his gang have oppressed his people and community for too long without help from government.

Dan China, who is now at large, and his arrested Nigerian accomplices have been in active connivance with non-Nigerians to carry out massive illegal mining in the state thereby depriving the country of revenue. Their unwholesome activities also led to environmental degradation and abandoned mine pits. Zurak is a key location of substantial mineral deposits especially lead, zinc, copper, tin, wolframite, tantalite and other base metals.

Dan China has gone underground, while illegal mining activities have stopped in the area. The notorious Dan China was in the habit of settling security agents in the areas, who then turned the other way and provided cover for his illegal operations. Between Dan China and a few other illegal mining operators well above N100 billion worth of minerals was said to have been taken out of the area with no record of payment of royalties, taxes etc to government.

The attendant environmental degradation in the area is best imagined and his armed men constituted security threat to the people of the communities. The operation was carried out discreetly between the Minister, NSA and the Plateau state Governor, in view of the extensive network of insiders and security agents working in collaboration with the criminal elements.

The agencies are to refer to the ministry to get the actual value of any mineral being shipped out of the country and to be sure that the exporter is authorised.

The minister has vowed that artisanal and small-scale miners would be given both technical and financial support to scale up their production, while criminal elements sabotaging the economy via illegal mining would be dealt with in line with laid down laws.