By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Security Monitor

Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has dissolved all existing anti-illegal mining committees in the state and approved the immediate establishment of a new task force to intensify the fight against illegal mining and environmental degradation across the state.

The decision was announced in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Gebon Kataps, who said the newly constituted task force has been mandated to enforce government directives aimed at curbing illegal mining activities, protecting forest reserves and addressing environmental abuses linked to unauthorized mining operations.
According to the statement, the eight-member task force will be headed by Major A. M. Ghali as Commander, while Captain K. R. Odenusi will serve as Second-in-Command. Other members include ASP Ishaku Daniel, Iziogo Philip, Olakunde D., Kabiru Musa, Zibai Ayuba and Suleiman Daniel.

The state government stated that the task force would be supported by personnel drawn from relevant security agencies to enhance enforcement operations and ensure compliance with existing directives on mining activities within the state.
The task force is also expected to work closely with the mobile court established under existing executive orders to facilitate the prosecution of offenders. It will submit periodic operational reports through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

The development comes amid heightened efforts by the Taraba State Government to tackle illegal mining, which has been linked to environmental degradation, revenue losses and security challenges in several mining communities. Governor Kefas had earlier suspended mining activities across the state, leading to a series of enforcement operations that resulted in arrests and the dispersal of hundreds of illegal miners.

However, stakeholders in the mining sector have pointed out that the Federal Government had already established the Mining Marshals, a specialised unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as the primary enforcement body responsible for safeguarding Nigeria’s solid minerals sector and combating illegal mining nationwide. The Mining Marshals were created by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to protect licensed mining sites, enforce mining regulations and tackle infractions within the sector.

Analysts note that while state governments can support efforts to curb environmental abuses and security threats associated with illegal mining, the enforcement of mining laws and the protection of mining assets fall within the broader regulatory framework of the Federal Government. The NSCDC Mining Marshals remain the only specialised federal security outfit specifically mandated to protect mining operations and address violations in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

Mining activities in Nigeria are regulated by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act. The NSCDC Mining Marshals were established as a federal enforcement mechanism to combat illegal mining and protect legitimate operators across the country.