Following the announcement of the of diversion of explosives to militants operating in the Niger Delta region, the Federal Government has named about 43 mines officers to be deployed in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Some of those to be deployed will serve as zonal mines officers in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Our correspondent gathered that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, would meet with the newly appointed officers in Abuja today.
It was also learnt that the officers would begin an orientation programme immediately after the meeting with the minister before they would depart for the states where they were to serve.
The Office of the National Security Adviser had ordered the audit of explosives imported, made and sold in the Niger Delta region when it was discovered that an oil and gas installation had been bombed by the Niger Delta Avengers with explosives obtained from an official dealer.
It was in the process of the audit that it was found out that the Nigerian Development and Construction Company, an importer and seller of explosives in Koko, Delta State, was allegedly involved in illegal diversion of about 9,000kg of Nitro-glycerine explosives and 16,420 pieces of electrical detonators from its magazines between 2015 and now.
Consequently, Fayemi ordered the immediate sealing of the company for the illegal diversion of the explosives, ordered its blacklisting and the withdrawal of its explosive licence.
He followed this up on Friday by ordering the immediate recall of all federal mines officers in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
