The paramount ruler of the Agwada community in Nasarawa State, His Royal Highness, Abubakar Sadiq Obagu, has called for the removal of the commander, Mining Marshal of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ACC Attah John Onoja and his team from the community for not doing enough to stop the illegal mining activities in the village, which has led to the death of some villagers.
The traditional ruler stated this while addressing his people, who had led a protest to his palace on Monday. He said the illegal mining activities in Rafin Gabbas, an area in the community, have become a menace to his people as they can not farm around the mining areas again.
He stated that the community has lost people, both underage and adults, who died in the mining sites. Currently, they are being harassed by the mining officials at the mining sites whenever they pass the areas to go to their farms.
He said, “Our people have suffered greatly since the illegal mining commenced in this community. We have lost love once, and now, we can not access our farms because we have been arrested and chased out by the mining marshals. We are calling for a change in the commander of the mining marshal and his team. Instead, the government can deploy a mining marshal from Nasarawa State and not impose this team, which is currently here.”
He stated that currently, about 50 mining marshals are guarding the illegal sites, and yet, underage people are used in the sites of unlawful mining at night.
He recalled that he had written to the Director General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, stating that they did not consent to companies like Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Limited, Nizhong Mining Company Limited, Badger Mines Nigeria Limited, and Badger Mines Baba Allen Nigeria Limited laying claims to have licenses in Rafin Gabbas and requested the director general deny approval of any mineral titles to these companies.
He called on President Bola Tinubu and the police inspector general to intervene and save the community from further damage.
Meanwhile, the commander, mining marshal ACC Onoja, has said that his job as the mining commander is to secure all mining sites, and he has done that. Many bad activities are going on at the mining sites, which he and his team have tried to handle well.
He said, “This is a public and sensitive issue involving many bad activities in the mining sites…I have ensured that the illegal miners are arrested and even prosecuted.”
However, while speaking to LEADERSHIP, Danjuma Edekwudu, one of the parents, who lost two children to the illegal mining activities, called on the federal government to come to his aid, as he is currently sick and bedridden after the death of his sons.
According to him, “I lost my sons, Hassan Danjuma and Odula Danjuma, in the illegal mining sites. They were lured to the sites for mining at night, and they didn’t survive when the soil collapsed. I am hopeless and can only hope for government intervention to survive the sickness I am battling now.”
Also, the secretary of the mining community, Eshimutu Ode, reiterated the call for the removal of the mining marshals from the community, saying that under their watch, many villagers have died in the mining sites, and nobody is saying anything to the families or the community about it.
