Miners, under the auspices of the Miners Association of Nigeria, have said that the ban on mining activities by some state governments is illegal.

According to the miners during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the ban was an abuse of the Mining Act 2007 and Mining Regulations 2011.

The National President, MAN, Dele Ayanleke, also expressed displeasure over the alleged invasion and jailing of the registered mining company’s staff by the Taraba State Government’s task force.

He noted that Section 44(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 1(1) of the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA), 2007, place the ownership of mineral resources and mining regulations in Exclusive Legislative List with enough provisions to address the socioeconomic and environmental concerns of the lower tiers of government.

He decried the harassment and arrest of legal miners by the state government’s task forces, adding that only the Federal Government had oversight over mining and mineral-related issues in the country.