By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Chairman and National President of the Nigeria Union of Mines Workers (NUMW), Comrade Mu...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State Chairman and National President of the Nigeria Union of Mines Workers (NUMW), Comrade Musa Adamu Nasko, has paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State, Abdulhamid Salisu Kabara.
Speaking during the visit, Comrade Nasko said NUMW had maintained a cordial relationship and mutual understanding with the NSCDC in Niger State, with both organisations working closely together until the arrival of the Federal Mining Marshal under the leadership of CP Jibrin Mohammed.
He explained that the system introduced under the Federal Mining Marshal led to the creation of different marshal groups for miners by the Niger State Command, a development he said had significantly affected mining activities and the welfare of miners in the state.
According to him, several miners have lost their properties, while many others have been arrested and detained, with some allegedly suffering serious setbacks that have jeopardised their livelihoods and future.
"We have never implemented any policy or initiative without involving the relevant security agencies. However, when it comes to miners, their concerns appear to receive little attention," he said.
Nasko said the visit was intended to draw the new commander's attention to the challenges facing miners and reaffirm NUMW's readiness to comply with all lawful regulations governing mining activities.
He assured the commander that the union would continue to cooperate with security agencies, adding that any suspected security threat or unlawful activity identified by the union would be reported to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
He further explained that while the Miners Association of Nigeria represents mining companies and business operators, NUMW is responsible for protecting the interests and rights of workers across the mining sector, including gold miners, quarry workers, suppliers and marketers.
Nasko identified what he described as the alleged overreach of some NSCDC personnel in the discharge of their duties as one of the union's major concerns. He linked the situation to a tragic mining incident that reportedly claimed the lives of 37 miners.
He also accused some Civil Defence officers of exceeding their statutory responsibilities by acting as arresting and punishing authorities, confiscating miners' properties and allegedly treating such properties as public assets.
Responding, the new NSCDC Commander, Abdulhamid Salisu Kabara, expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in mining-related incidents.
Kabara clarified that the OC Marshal and other groups allegedly created by the Niger State Command were not part of the Corps' official structure, adding that they had been dismantled.
However, he explained that the Mining Marshal was established under the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to regulate and monitor mining activities in accordance with Nigerian laws.
He further assured the union that Mining Marshal operations in the state would not be conducted without the knowledge of the state command.
The commander urged miners to comply with existing mining regulations, stressing that adherence to the law would help address the challenges and conflicts associated with mining activities.
He also expressed concern over the destruction of farmlands in the name of mining without due regard for established regulations.
Kabara particularly condemned the involvement of underage children in mining activities, noting that many children who should be in school were abandoning their education in search of immediate financial gains.
He called on NUMW to collaborate with the Corps in addressing these challenges and promoting responsible mining practices.
In his response, the NUMW National President said the union was equally concerned about child labour and had been working with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to combat the practice.
He explained that mining was a hazardous occupation and that the union did not register individuals below the age of 18 as members.
Nasko reaffirmed the union's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the NSCDC to promote lawful mining operations, protect workers' rights and address security challenges in the sector.
The visit was attended by the NUMW State Secretary, Comrade Salawu Mohammed; the union's chairmen in Bosso and Shiroro Local Government Areas, Comrades Sulaiman Muhammad and Abdul-Azeez Mohammed She, respectively; and the State Task Force representative, Comrade Jamilu Musa Adamu.
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