Retired military generals are behind the ongoing illegal mining activities across Nigeria, according to Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior.
He made the allegation during the submission of the 2025 budget report by the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong, before the Senate Committee on Appropriations.
Oshiomhole, who is also a member of the Appropriations Committee and a former governor of Edo State, emphasized that the country’s efforts to diversify its economy will remain a pipe dream if Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration does not tackle illegal mining.
He said, “The ongoing illegal mining across the country is being carried out by retired generals, and we know them. Yes, we know them. Nobody in Africa doesn’t know them. I did a letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter when he was in office.”
READ ALSO: TikTok Officially Banned in US Over National Security Concerns
He recounted how a team he sent to conduct primary elections in Zamfara State faced challenges due to the presence of illegal miners, adding, “If we have to fight this menace, we need to deploy the Army even to kill anyone who is involved in the illegal pumping of oil. We should also deploy JTFs, comprising the Army, Police, Air Force, against them.”
The panel members unanimously agreed with Oshiomhole’s submissions and called on various security agencies to tackle the issue of illegal mining. The committee further recommended a significant increase in the budget for the Ministry of Solid Minerals to address the menace.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
