The National President of the Nigeria Union of Mining Workers (NUMW), Comrade Musa Adamu Nasko, has questioned the legality of s...
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Mining Workers (NUMW), Comrade Musa Adamu Nasko, has questioned the legality of some operational activities of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, particularly its handling of suspected illegal miners, confiscated properties and bail payments.
The concerns were raised in a press statement issued by Comrade Awwal Umar Kontagora, Media Consultant to the National President of the Nigeria Union of Mining Workers, on behalf of the union's president.
In the statement, Nasko expressed concern over what he described as a lack of clarity regarding the legal authority under which the NSCDC arrests, detains and allegedly punishes suspected illegal miners without first bringing them before a court.
He acknowledged the responsibility of the NSCDC in safeguarding mining activities across the country but maintained that its enforcement operations must comply with the law.
"We do not understand some of the activities of the NSCDC in Niger State. We recognise its responsibility in protecting mining activities, and we are working hard to ensure that every miner operates within the law. However, we want to know which law empowers the corps to arrest, detain and punish suspects without first presenting them before a judge," Nasko stated.
The NUMW president also questioned the legal basis for the confiscation and retention of properties belonging to suspected illegal miners, demanding clarification on how such seized items are managed and accounted for.
He asked whether the confiscated properties were being retained as trophies or transferred to the appropriate government authorities, insisting that the union deserved an explanation regarding their whereabouts and disposal.
Nasko further demanded transparency over money allegedly collected by the NSCDC as bail fees from arrested miners.
He questioned whether such payments constituted revenue for the corps or were meant to be remitted to the Federal Government, calling for disclosure of the appropriate government account into which the funds are deposited.
The union president also directed questions to the Niger State Government, particularly the Ministry of Mineral Resources under the leadership of Hon. Mohammed Danjuma Qasim, asking whether the ministry had ever raised concerns with the NSCDC over its methods of enforcing mining regulations.
He specifically questioned whether the ministry had addressed allegations that security personnel attack miners suspected of operating illegally with heavy weapons, including reports of shootings and killings.
Nasko maintained that mining enforcement should be conducted within the framework of the law and called for accountability and clarification regarding the activities of security personnel operating in the state's mining sector.
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