Stakeholders question application of Nigeria’s mining laws 

…Navy arrests 13 illegal silicon miners in Bayelsa 

Residents and stakeholders in communities along the Atlantic coastline in Bayelsa State are questioning the application of Nigeria’s mining laws following the arrest of 13 silicon (black sand) miners by men of the Nigerian Navy.

Silicon (black sand) is an abundant natural resource in Bayelsa State’s brackish waters and it is known that several communities have entered into agreements with miners to exploit the natural resource for rare earth minerals.

Rare earth minerals find wide use in the manufacture of electronic components in computers and other high tech products.

The race for the mining of silicon gained traction following the unending trade disputes between the United States of America and China, which has the largest rare earth minerals in the world.

BusinessDay gathered that the arrest of the 13 persons, by the Nigerian Navy over alleged illegal black sand mining has triggered widespread reactions on social media.

It was also gathered that the Nigerian Navy had handed the suspects to police for prosecution in accordance with the law on the directive of the state government.

Following the incident, the Nigerian Navy released a statement saying: “As part of ongoing efforts to rid Nigeria’s waterways of illegal activities and maintain a safe and secure maritime environment, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO has arrested two wooden boats conveying bags of illegally mined black sand with 13 crew members onboard.

“The operation led by the Base Operations Officer, U.S Chukwu, a lieutenant commander, was conducted on June 14, 2026, following credible intelligence on the movement of the boats. Acting swiftly on the intelligence, FOB FORMOSO personnel intercepted the vessels at Lekeson Community and Liama Community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“S.K Haruna, a Captain and the Commanding Officer FOB FORMOSO, reaffirmed the Base’s commitment to combating the illegal exploitation of natural resources, curbing maritime crimes, and ensuring the safety and security of Nigeria’s waterways in line with the Nigerian Navy’s constitutional mandate.

“In line with established procedures and on the directive of the Bayelsa State Government, the two wooden boats, the recovered bags of illegally mined black sand, and the 13 suspects were handed over on June 15, 2026 to Gbenekeme Kenneth, the Divisional Police Officer, Nembe Division, at the Government Jetty Nembe  for further investigation and possible prosecution.”

But the development has drawn backlash from stakeholders, who questioned the action, arguing that similar mining activities in other parts of the country, particularly in northern Nigeria, often go unchecked.

Several commentators expressed concern over what they described as the victimisation and criminalising of local residents for exploiting natural resources found within their communities.

Others called on the government to regulate and license black sand mining rather than arresting those involved, noting that the mineral could provide livelihoods for many rural dwellers.

Some users also challenged the legal basis for the arrests, urging the authorities to allow the courts to determine whether the mining activities constituted an offence under existing laws.

The controversy reignited debates over resource ownership, environmental regulation, and the perceived disparity in the enforcement of mining laws across different regions of the country.

Many residents insist that the black sand is a natural resource belonging to their communities and have called for the release of the arrested individuals pending the outcome of any legal proceedings.

However, it will be recalled that in December 2025, the Bayelsa State Government banned all unauthorised and illegal mining of mineral resources in communities across the eight local government areas of the state.

The government also warned community leaders to desist from signing memoranda of understanding with illegal miners or face sanctions, declaring all such agreements as null and void and of no effect.

Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State made the declarations during a town hall meeting with community leaders, top government officials, and other critical stakeholders from Southern Ijaw, Brass, and Ekeremor local government areas.

Diri, who was represented at the meeting by the late Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who was his deputy until his demise nine days later, described the mining of silicon at Foropa, Agge, Die-ama, and other coastal communities by miners from outside the state as both illegal and a dangerous threat to the safety of the environment and health of the people.

He directed immediate suspension of all such mining activities in all parts of the state and pronounced an embargo on communities from signing MoUs with companies, without consulting with government, to mine minerals in their areas.

He warned that community leaders, who violate the order, would be arrested and prosecuted in line with the relevant laws of the state.

According to him, illegal mining not only violates environmental impact assessment laws, but also poses a serious security threat and robs the state of legitimate revenues.

He said, “The State has recently witnessed a dimension we are not comfortable with. There is a developing issue in Ekeremor, Brass and Southern Ijaw LGAs. People from outside the state are illegally mining silicon or black sand in our communities, without the authorisation of the government, and that has to stop forthwith.

“It is both dangerous to the safety of our environment and health. Unchecked Illegal mining activities in the north contributed to the banditry that has engulfed several states in the north. We won’t allow that here. We learned that some communities have gone ahead to sign MoUs with these illegal miners. The government is angry with those communities for signing agreements with miners without consulting the relevant government institutions and agencies.

“Government is, therefore, directing the immediate suspension of all such illegal silicon or black sand mining activities across the state. An embargo is hereby placed on memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between communities and companies from within or outside the state. And every MoU already signed without government approval is hereby declared invalid and of no effect.”