Association says suspension of mining will punish lawful operators, empower illegal miners, and worsen poverty and insecurity.
The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has rejected calls for a nationwide suspension of mining activities, arguing that such a move would worsen insecurity rather than solve it.
In a statement issued Monday in Abuja and jointly signed by the National President, Dele Ayankale, and National Secretary, Sulaiman Liman, the association said shutting down mining operations would unfairly target legitimate operators while creating more space for illegal miners who have been linked to terrorism financing.
The warning follows a recent proposal by the Northern States Governors’ Forum, which recommended a six-month halt to mining in response to rising insecurity, including killings and the abduction of schoolchildren. The governors insist illegal mining is fueling violence and say the suspension is needed to conduct a nationwide audit and revalidation of mining licences.
But MAN disagrees. According to Ayankale, only illegal and unregulated mining has been tied to criminality, not the activities of licensed operators who work under government oversight. He cautioned that past attempts to curb insecurity by banning mining, such as the 2019 suspension in Zamfara State failed to produce positive results.
“Banditry, kidnappings and terrorism did not decline after the ban,” Ayankale noted. “Instead, these crimes spread to neighbouring states such as Katsina, Kaduna, Niger and Kebbi.”
He stressed that it is illegal miners, operating without licences, often involved in money laundering and trading minerals for arms who drive insecurity.
“A clear distinction must be made between legal and illegal mining. Stigmatising mining as the cause of insecurity is a misnomer,” he said.
Ayankale added that imposing a ban would be a “serious disservice” to law-abiding miners and their employees, potentially causing massive job losses and deepening poverty. He warned that legitimate operators typically suffer the consequences of such policies, while illegal miners continue exploiting mineral sites due to inadequate enforcement capacity.
He also argued that a suspension would undermine the Federal Government’s efforts to attract investment into the solid minerals sector and reverse recent progress in removing operational bottlenecks.
MAN emphasised that its members collaborate closely with security agencies and operate according to global standards for environmental responsibility and community development. Through statutory Community Development Agreements, Ayankale said miners contribute to infrastructure development and local economic growth in rural communities.
Describing the governors’ call as “unfortunate and unpatriotic,” Ayankale urged them to channel part of their security votes or establish dedicated funds to strengthen the operations of Mining Marshals and other lawful structures designed to combat illegal mining.
On the proposed revalidation of mining licences, the association said the idea hints at agitation for resource control and runs contrary to the Nigerian Constitution, which places mineral resources on the Exclusive Legislative List under federal authority.
Ayankale cautioned President Bola Tinubu to consider the national-security implications of a ban, warning it could push more unemployed youths into terrorist networks.
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