MSA Don Call for Government Make Dem Arrest Big Men Wey Dey Make Money From Illegal Mining!

Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA) don call on Nigerian government to go beyond arresting ordinary workers for illegal mining and investigate as well as arrest pipo wey dey finance, organise and make serious money from illegal mining operations across di kontri.

Di group make dis demand for statement wey Aj Dagga Tolar, MSA General Secretary, publish following di death of 37 pipo wey suffocate inside Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) cells for Minna, Niger State. MSA say government suppose investigate everybody wey get connection with illegal mining and di conditions wey lead to di deaths.

According to di group, plenty young Nigerians dey enta dangerous mining work because dem need money to survive, while pipo wey dey finance or control some of di operations fit dey collect bigger share of di profit. MSA con question why enforcement efforts fit focus mainly on miners and workers without properly tracing di pipo wey dey fund, buy and move minerals from illegal mining sites.

Illegal mining don become serious issue for Nigeria because e no only affect government revenue; e fit damage farmland, pollute water, create dangerous mining pits and increase security risks for communities too. Nigeria mining sector too show say illegal mining activities don involve minerals such as lithium, gold and tin, while weak regulation, corruption and limited government presence for some mining areas don make enforcement difficult.

Nigeria’s fight against illegal lithium mining before note say authorities arrest unlicensed miners as government try regulate critical minerals and make kontri benefit more from em natural resources. Di report too explain say some artisanal miners dey operate inside bigger business networks where sponsors provide money and take substantial share of di proceeds.

MSA too link em latest demand for di deaths of NSCDC detention facility in Minna. Di group say government don respond by arresting NSCDC officers and setting up investigation panel, but e argue say investigation no go stop with officers wey dey on ground.

Di group con dey ask for investigation and possible prosecution of public officials whose negligence or failure go provide proper facilities, according to em position, may have contributed to di tragedy. MSA too call for compensation for di families of di 37 pipo wey die and for authorities to review conditions inside government detention facilities.

But MSA position na political and ideological position from di organisation, and allegations against any individual or organisation still need proper investigation and evidence before anybody fit face criminal responsibility. Calling for somebody arrest no mean say di person don already prove guilty of any offence.

Di bigger question for illegal mining na beta one for Nigeria because di kontri get many commercially valuable mineral resources, while communities wey dey close to mining areas often carry environmental and safety risks. Effective enforcement therefore require authorities to trace di full chain from financing and extraction to buying, transportation and export while making sure say legal miners and vulnerable workers no become automatic targets.

For Obaland magazine, di central issue be say any serious fight against illegal mining need to follow di money as well as di mineral. If investigators find evidence say powerful individuals dey finance or benefit from illegal operations, dem suppose face due process under di law, just as workers and operators accused of offences too deserve fair treatment and proper legal procedure.

Di MSA statement con add anoda voice to di ongoing debate about how Nigeria fit control illegal mining, protect communities, improve safety for miners and make sure say natural resources benefit ordinary Nigerians instead of becoming source of private wealth and public danger.

MSA don call on Nigerian government to investigate and arrest powerful people wey evidence show say dem dey profit from illegal mining, while di country dey face serious mining and safety challenges.