The paramount ruler of the Agwada community in Nasarawa State, His Royal Highness Abubakar Sadiq Obagu, has called for the removal of the Commander, Mining Marshal of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ACC Attah John Onoja, and his team from the community for not doing enough to stop the illegal mining activities in the village, which he alleged has led to the death of some villagers.

The traditional ruler, who stated this while addressing his people, who had led a protest to his palace on Monday, said the illegal mining activities in Rafin Gabbas, an area in the community, have become a menace to his people as they cannot go to farm around the mining areas again.

He stated that the community has lost people, both underage and adults, who died in the mining sites, and currently, they are being harassed by the mining officials at the sites whenever they pass through the areas to access their farms.

He said: “Our people have suffered greatly since the illegal mining commenced in this community. We have lost loved ones, and now we cannot access our farms because we are being arrested and chased out by the mining marshals.

“We are calling for a change of the commander of the mining marshal and his team. Instead, the government can deploy mining marshals from Nasarawa State and not impose this team, which is currently here.”

He stated that currently, there are about 50 mining marshals guarding the illegal sites, and yet, underage people are used in the sites for illegal mining at night.

Recalling that he had written to the Director General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, the monarch stated that they did not consent to companies like Capital Apex Synergy Global Services Limited, Nizhong Mining Company Limited, Badger Mines Nigeria Limited, and Badger Mines Baba Allen Nigeria Limited laying claims to have licenses in Rafin Gabbas and requested the Director General to deny approval of any mineral titles to these companies.

He called on President Bola Tinubu and the Inspector General of Police to intervene in the situation and save the community from further damage.

Also speaking, one of the parents who lost two children to the illegal mining activities, who identified himself as Danjuma Edekwudu, called on the Federal Government to come to his aid as he is currently sick and bedridden after the death of his sons.

He stated: “I lost my sons, Hassan Danjuma and Odula Danjuma, in the illegal mining sites. They were lured to the sites to mine at night, and when the soil collapsed, they didn’t survive. I am hopeless and can only hope for government intervention to survive the sickness I am battling now.”

Also, the secretary of the mining community, Eshimutu Ode, reiterated the call for the removal of the mining marshals from the community, saying that under their watch, many villagers have died in the mining sites and nobody is saying anything to the families or the community about it.

When contacted, the Commander, Mining Marshal, ACC Onoja, said that as the mining commander, his job is to secure all mining sites and that he has done so. There are a lot of bad activities going on at the mining sites, which he and his team have tried to handle well.

“This is a public and sensitive issue involving a lot of bad activities going on in the mining sites. I have ensured that the illegal miners are arrested and even prosecuted,” he stated.