Senate Approves Bill On Nigeria Mines Rangers Service to Tackle Illegal Mining

Senate Approves Bill On Nigeria Mines Rangers Service to Tackle Illegal Mining

The Nigerian Senate has passed a landmark bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS)  a specialized security agency designed to combat illegal mining activities across the country.

The bill, which scaled its third reading on the floor of the Senate, aims to strengthen the federal government’s efforts to protect the nation’s mineral resources and ensure that mining operations are conducted in line with the law.

According to lawmakers, the creation of the Mines Rangers Service will help curb revenue losses caused by illegal mining, environmental degradation, and insecurity in mining communities. The Service is expected to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, security agencies, and local communities to enforce mining regulations.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, commended the initiative, describing it as a “bold and timely step” toward safeguarding Nigeria’s mineral wealth and promoting transparency in the mining sector.

The bill will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent.

If signed into law, the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service will be empowered to monitor mining sites, apprehend offenders, and ensure compliance with mining laws ushering in a new era of accountability in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.