OPINION: Why FG must act now to clip wings of state governors
Some state governors like Benue, Zamfara, Niger, Kogi Taraba, among others have banned mining activities in their respective states while they mine for themselves.
By Farooq Abdullahi
Nigeria’s mining sector is fast growing, attracting global attention due to the enormous wealth buried in the country’s soil.
Investors and businessmen are now concentrating on Nigeria’s solid minerals industry. Much of this positive response can be attributed to the efforts of the current minister of solid minerals, Dr. Oladele Alake, who has implemented security measures and policies.
If these measures are properly managed and sustained, Nigeria could ascend to the global stage as a mining powerhouse, with solid minerals joining oil as a major source of revenue for our nation.
As we know, many state governors with mineral resources feel a sense of entitlement when it comes to these resources. Typically, disagreements between federal and state governments on such issues are resolved amicably to avoid chaos.
Some state governors, like those in Benue, Zamfara, Niger, Kogi, and Taraba, among others, have banned mining activities in their respective states while they mine for themselves; some use non-state actors to intimidate and chase legal miners so that they can mine on other people’s sites.
Let’s take Osun as a case study. Segilola is the only mechanized gold miner that we have in Nigeria at the moment and the pride of the nation in the mining sector at the international mining forum. Osun state governor woke up one day to stop them from working just because they asked for kangaroo fees that the company refused before the federal government intervened.
Kogi state government will claim it has banned mining activities in the state, but it is mining on a legal titleholder’s mining site.
However, the situation in Nassarawa state must be brought to the fore for Nigerians to see. What is currently happening in the state’s mining sector, if not checked quickly, will undermine the drive for local and foreign investments.
The state power is being used to harass and intimidate legitimate license holders. It is now public knowledge that the DG of IMCO is taking instructions from the state government to step on people’s evaluation reports so as to withhold approvals for mining leases by the minister and even suggest revoking licenses. These actions break federal rules for the mining sector and scare off investors, harming confidence in Nigeria’s mining sector.
It is well known that the mining sector can often be a mafia sector. Victims of the underhanded politics in Nasarawa, who do not have a strong backing, find themselves helpless.
A recent incident on December 24, 2024, showed the extent of the malfeasance. On that day, the state’s commissioner for environment announced the revocation of a mining license belonging to a company named Timadez, stopping the firm from working on its site.
This act has led many to question whether the state government has the authority to revoke legitimate mining licenses. To make matters worse, the state governor openly admitted to transferring the revoked license to a Chinese company. This raises serious concerns: Could such an act happen in China?
There have been allegations that the Chinese company tried to bribe community leaders to get their consent with as much as N2,500,000,000, which was turned down.
There are also allegations of land grabbing against the state government. This time around, locals are apprehensive that existing lands with titles are being targeted for revocation. Those in the know said already revoked lands are handed over to Chinese nationals.
Given these developments, I urge the federal government to take swift and decisive action to clip the wings of the Nasarawa state’s government under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The federal ministry of solid minerals and the federal government must act quickly to prevent more harm to Nigeria’s economic interests and image.
They should put all the necessary measures in place to protect indigenous investors. The solid minerals sector has the power to change Nigeria’s economy, and no one should be allowed to ruin this opportunity. Action must be taken immediately.
The minister of solid minerals needs to spring into action and bring back sanity to the sector before the state governors turn the mining sector into their personal estates.
Farooq Abdullahi, a public affairs commentator, writes from Abuja.
