Kwara State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) has urged the removal of mining from the Exclusive Legislative List to allow states to assume better control of their solid minerals, arguing that the approval would improve security and boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

President of the chamber, Abu Salami, told newsmen in Ilorin that decentralising control of mineral resources would enable state governments to take direct responsibility for securing mining communities, noting that local authorities are better positioned to monitor activities and to always respond swiftly to threats.

He linked the growing insecurity in mining areas to weak local oversight and the influx of armed groups into resource-rich locations, especially in rural communities.

“The ultimate solution is to remove mining from the Exclusive List and allow states to control what is sourced from their environment. That way, security can be better managed at the local level,” he said.

Salami warned that Kwara must act proactively to avoid the experiences of states already facing violent conflicts tied to illegal mining.

The chamber also advocated the creation of a specialised security framework dedicated to mining zones, stressing that most mining activities occur in isolated areas where conventional policing is limited.