The Minister of Solid Mineral, Mr Dele Alake, on Tuesday, asserted that some ‘powerful’ Nigerians involved in illegal mining are sponsoring banditry and terrorism in the country.
He revealed this when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget.
Alake also claims that foreigners are involved in illegal mining in the country. He urged the federal government to pay particular attention to the mining sector, which generates trillions of dollars for the country each year.
Militants have established a presence in northwest and central Nigeria, outside of their typical northeast base, where they have waged a 13-year insurgency.
The bandit militias terrorise local communities where they raid villages, kill and kidnap residents for ransom as well as burn homes after looting them.