Illegal Miners Sponsoring Terrorism – Alake Alleges

By Oduyemi Odumade

The Minister of Solid Mineral, Mr Dele Alake, has alleged that powerful Nigerians involved in illegal mining are the ones sponsoring banditry and terrorism in the country.

Mr Alake stated this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals for the 2024 budget defence at the National Assembly.

According to the Minister, the security challenges in the mining sector are not sponsored by foreigners but by some powerful Nigerians.

He stated that the ministry has identified them and is employing kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to tackle the problem.

” A lot of the banditry and other forms of insecurity associated in the sector are actually sponsored by illegal miners.
These illegal miners are not the people who picked gold dust on the ground, no. These are heavy powerful individuals in our country, and they are Nigerians”.

He also said that the host communities where mining activities take place across the country would be engaged to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

The Minister pleaded with the committee to consider the amount budgeted for the ministry in the 2024 budget proposal.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Gaza Gbefwi, stated that the solid minerals sector remains the last hope of the country to attain the level of diversity it requires.

Mr Gbefwi however, observed that the funds appropriated to the sector in the 2024 budget were grossly inadequate.

He added that the committee had taken proactive steps to put up motions and bills that would strengthen and reorganize the sector.

Edited By Grace Namiji