The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has alleged that retired military generals are behind illegal mining activities across the country.
Oshiomhole made the statement during a Senate Committee on Appropriations meeting, where the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Senator Sampson Ekong, presented the 2025 budget report for the sector.
According to Oshiomhole, a member of the Appropriations Committee, Nigeria’s ambition to diversify its economy would remain unattainable if the government fails to address the growing problem of illegal mining.
“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,” Oshiomhole revealed.
He recounted a past incident during a party primary election in Zamfara State, where illegal mining activities posed significant challenges.
“This is because a team that I sent to go and conduct the primary somewhere, reported back to me, the challenge of conducting primary elections in Zamfara because of the illegal miners,” he added.
Calling for decisive action, Oshiomhole stated, “If we have to fight this menace, we need to deploy the Army even to kill anyone who is involved in illegal pumping of oil. We should also deploy JTFs, comprising the Army, Police, Air Force, against them.”
The Senate panel endorsed Oshiomhole’s concerns and urged security agencies to confront illegal mining head-on.
The committee further resolved to significantly increase the budget allocation for the Ministry of Solid Minerals to strengthen its capacity to tackle the issue.
