News

Nigeria Loses $9bn Annually To Illegal Mining – Reps

Published

10 months ago

July 15, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…as CDS call for a ban on illegal mining for 1-2 years

… 387 persons arrested in connection with illegal mining – Army

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has said that Nigeria loses $9 billion annually to illegal mining, while only 3 percent royalty is paid by few licensed miners in the country.

Chairman, House Commitee on Solid Mineral, Rep. Jonathan Gaza disclosed this at a public hearing organized by the House Commitee on Solid Minerals Development on the need to investigate illegal mining in the solid mineral sector on Monday in Abuja.

Rep. Gaza said the development had impeded on the country’s ability to maximize the benefits from its mineral resources.

According to him, the negative impacts of illegal mining has led to insecurity and conflicts over control of mining sites and their resources.

These conflicts he stated has developed into violence there by worsen existing political and social tensions in affected communities which has resulted in the limited data availability and inadequate measures to control this illicit practice.

He said: “This public hearing is aimed to investigating illegal mining activities, under-reporting wins (extract E-Products) by mining and quarry license operators, utilization of financial interventions in the Nigerian solid minerals sector amounting to trillions of naira within the solid mineral sector and also the Nigeria minerals and Mining Act (Amendment Bill) and Nigeria solid Minerals Development Company (establishment bill) respectively.

“The leadership of the 10th House of Assembly has found it expedient and a sense of duty to carry out these investigative hearings to necessitate transparency and accountability, public participation, policy formation and identify challenges and solutions that will ultimately lead to the revamping of our solid mineral sector.As we are all aware, illegal mining poses substantial risks to our nation’s economy, environment, and security.

“The unregulated exploitation of our natural resources jeopardizes the sustainability of the mineral sector, leading to environmental degradation and revenue loss that could otherwise benefit our communities and nation as a whole.

“It is imperative that we take as a matter of urgency, decisive steps and necessary action to address this issue and ensure that our solid mineral sector operates within the framework of the law, protecting our natural resources for future generations.

“Furthermore, as representatives of the people, the parliament is deeply worried about the loss of revenue through unregulated and illicit mining operations with the Federal Government disclosing that unlawful mining costs the country $9bn each year, with the only money coming from a 3 percent royalty paid by the few licensed miners.

“By attentively listening to their testimonies and perspectives, we can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by illegal mining and develop effective strategies to combat this illicit activity. Allow me to state emphatically that the time is now, for us to work collaboratively and take immediate and decisive actions to revitalize and develop this critical sector for the overall benefit of benefits all Nigerians while preserving our environment for future generations”, the Chairman stated.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who was represented by the Director Of Operations, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo, in his submission revealed that the group of persons involved in illegal mining have connections, as they often brag to have links with those at the top.

Speaking on why illegal mining have continue to take place despite measures by the federal government to curtail it, AVM Ilo stated that most people involved in the process have connections backing them up, adding that foreigners also come into the country to carry out the illegal act as far as Burkina Faso.

“The involvement of the elites in it, we can’t tell, but we know that most of the time when we catch these foreigners, they will tell us that they have connections. I don’t want to say some things, but sometimes you hand these people over and the next thing you see, they’re released.

“Talking of illegal mining, I’m going to talk about how the military sees it.There are so many other stakeholders that I want to talk about. From our various operations and the statistics that we have, we notice that, first of all, the framework guiding mining in Nigeria is very, very good. It needs to be strengthened.Why do I say so, sir?

“In 2018 or so, during the last administration, there was a ban on illegal mining in South Africa, South Africa, Sinai, Nigeria, which even established a gold mine zone. Despite that ban, mining licenses were being issued to people to mine in that zone. So the strengthening of the institutional framework is very key.

“The leader of the house made mention of something about banning mining for like a year. It is very key we do that. I know the country is going to somehow feel the effects in terms of revenue, but we need to go a little off the level in order to ensure that we get things right, so that we can decisively deal with those involved in this illegal mining.

“Then one thing we notice also is that, whether it’s coincidence or what, we can’t say, but we notice that insecurity thrives where this illegal mining is happening. Someone once said that the issue of banditry and terrorism is like a smokescreen to stop the governments and the military from dealing decisively with these people. I can’t for sure ascertain that fact, but I know fully well that there is a correlation between insecurity and illegal mining.

“We have as far as people from Burkina Faso coming to mine in Nigeria. So the strength of our borders, too, is a factor. Why I’m saying all this is that there’s need for the government to equip properly those involved to checkmate most of this illegal mining.There’s need for government to equip them properly and also give them the marching order. It’s one thing to say and another thing to see that the government is really committed to dealing with people.

“Anybody caught in this illegal mining must be dealt with decisively and examples should be made for others to know publicly that this is what the government is doing to ensure that we tackle that area.The third aspect we noted is poverty. These areas where this illegal mining takes place, the people are poor. Virtually, lack of education is also part of it.Most of them that we get, one way or the other, no formal education.

“This illegal mining is, let me say, the people perpetrating this use them. It’s their own source of livelihood, the people within that area.So the army will give a little bit of detail on some arrests that we’ve made or mining sites that we’ve raided. I’m just talking in general terms.

“So what is the way forward? The way forward from our own view is that one, we have to strengthen the regulatory framework for these mining activities.And also empower the agencies involved in checking mining activities for them to do their work. We could go into this banning of mining for a year or two and then probably get the acts right.

“Anybody seen committing illegal mining will be dealt with decisively. Engaging the international community. In 2011 in Liberia, this same issue we are facing in Nigeria was obvious in Liberia. The international community was approached after they’ve seen the atrocities of things done.And that’s when the issue of blood diorama came up. What did they do? You know, there’s a carbon dating on every mineral resource that is in an area involved.

“So they banned the Liberia diorama in the international community.Both, it’s Liberia and Sierra Leone, both. Charles Taylor was the main person because that was how they started off cash. So they banned it in the international market.So they couldn’t access this product. And of course, naturally, the mining activities started dying in those areas. So we also approached the international community.

“More so to engage the communities where these activities are done. How do we engage them? We could sort of organize lectures through the languages around there.On how sustainable, legal, sustainable mining are done. And how they can key into it. And also, the government could look into also how to give them another source of livelihood.Because sincerely, they live on this mining. Even when it is banned, it is difficult to get them out of mine. Because that is how they survive.So another source of livelihood, the government can look into, and set up a committee to look into it on how to give them another source of livelihood. While the ones that want to be involved in mining will be shown how legal, sustainable mining is being done.

“Finally, the government needs to show their willpower that they actually want to tackle this thing by ensuring that anybody, no matter how highly placed, that is involved in illegal mining, faces the books accordingly.

Speaking also at the hearing, the representative of Nigeria Army Colonel Tajudeen Lamidi said that the Nigeria Army has arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining.

“The Nigerian Army conducts a wide range of operations across all the geopolitical zones of the country. I think virtually as it is now, we have the Nigerian Army deploying in almost every state of the country in one operation or the other.And because of this, what we do basically is to support those agencies that are constantly mandated to protect the critical national infrastructures of the country, including mining. And in doing that in our operations, we have to contend with illegal miners. And what we do is after arresting them, we hand them over to the appropriate agency available in that area.Some of these agencies include the Department of State Security Services, the Nigerian Police Force, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps.

“Sometimes we do conduct operations together where we go to some of these illegal mining sites together and conduct operations. But because the Nigerian Army cannot prosecute them, we hand them over to those agencies to continue with the prosecution aspect. As contained in the memo, from December to date, we’ve arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining. We also have bank rules and also some of these illegal – these minerals that were arrested, which were handed over as exhibits to those agencies for them to be prosecuted.

“In summary, I would say from December to date, in Abia, we have 10 people arrested.In Eboyi State, we have 12. The Federal Capital Territory and its environs – I mean places like Kuje, Bwari, and more, we’ve arrested 276 individuals. While in Osun State, we’ve arrested 19.In Oyo, particularly in the northern part of Oyo State, where they share bandry with Kwara State, those places are very close to the whole Oyo National Park we’ve arrested around 55 people. I think the minna, in that particular place, meets about 17 trucks loaded with Konzite.In Plateau we have 25, while in Zamfara, we have 15.

“When the APM was talking the other day, he mentioned the issue of the ban of mining activity in Zamfara. Well, sadly, we still arrested people in that community that it is still taking place.Just like I said, we continue to collaborate with the agencies that are constitutionally mandated to check illegal mining. But it is because we realize there is a nexus between insecurity and illegal mining, which the chairman also alluded to in his opening remarks, when he said, if you want, you cannot fight illegal mining without fighting security.

“If you want to actually reduce insecurity in the country, those agencies that are also mandated to fight insecurity must also fight illegal mining.So, in terms of challenges, I think the APM has touched on some of the challenges which we have. I think the APM, the civil defense men, and the man from the Ministry of Solidarity and Relief, we’ve actually been involved in the issue of illegal mining, I think, since January. When I came, I saw that they are the same people from the agencies that have been isolating us.

“The issue of those communities, the APM talked about it, there is poverty, and they are also involved in it. And I think this makes it very, very difficult to check illegal mining. It is not only the people coming from outside that are involved.The locals benefit from it. But the question is, what is the role of state, what is the role of local government in illegal mining? I think most of it is raised with the federal government. Why the state and the local government don’t actually have roles to play.I think we need to look for roles for both the state and the local government to get involved.

We also discovered some of the companies, some companies have exploitation licenses and not mining licenses. So what they do, they use one license to do the two.So I think the issue of the role of state and local government, I think I’ve talked about this. I think that so far, this is what the Nigerian army does. We’ve mandated every Nigerian army formation and unit to continue to support those agencies that are constantly mandated to fight illegal mining, towards the region and our country of illegal mining, and improve the economy.

While declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas who was represented by the Leader Professor Julius Ihonvbere noted that Illegal mining activity is a growing socio-economic challenge in Nigeria, adding that it has led to loss of ecosystems and increased poverty level especially among peasant farmers who depend solely on environmental resources for a living.

According to him, Nigeria is richly blessed with solid minerals, which should bring great fortune to the country and the citizens, but the wealth is largely stolen by criminal elements. According to reports, an estimated 80% of mining in the North West region is carried out illegally and the mining of large untapped mineral deposits in the area is at the root of community violence.

“A disturbing issue, which makes this Investigative Hearing very critical is the fact that various mining communities in Nigeria live in agonizing conditions, economically and socially, arising from years of neglect, and various deprivations and severe environmental degradation, air and water pollution, arising from unsafe mining practices by illegal miners.

“The impact of the unprecedented illegal mining across Nigeria which has been devastating as farmlands, crops and economic trees are not only destroyed by mining activities but reduce their benefit and values to the residents.

“The rise in illegal mining highlights fundamental social, institutional and structural problems in the country, therefore today’s interaction is aimed to provide enough guidance on curbing the menace of illegal mining, and also assess the role played by the Regulators in the process of their regulatory functions in the particularly as it relates to mining practices.

“The decision of the House of Representatives to investigate illegal mining shows our commitment and determination to take decisive steps towards addressing nefarious mining practices and the non-compliance with set standards in the solid minerals sector, including the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act (Amendment) Bill and the Nigeria Solid Mineral Development Company (Establishment) Bill which are currently before the House, and for which a Public Hearing will be held on 17th July, 2024”, he added.

News

Atiku’s influence on Dele Momodu driven by financial ties – Olayinka

Published

13 minutes ago

May 1, 2025

Admin

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has accused media personality and Ovation publisher, Dele Momodu, of being financially motivated in his continued support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, Olayinka alleged that Momodu’s loyalty to Atiku is driven purely by financial gain, warning that the media figure would abandon the former presidential candidate once the flow of money ceases.

“Only someone like Dele Momodu, who does not have knowledge of anything apart from his stomach, would claim that it was Wike who drove Peter Obi out of the PDP,” Olayinka said, dismissing recent comments made by Momodu.

He further accused Atiku of undermining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the years, recalling how, in his words, Atiku “frustrated the party’s efforts to win Lagos State in 2003.”

Olayinka also challenged Momodu’s claim that Atiku had proposed zoning the PDP presidential ticket to the Southeast in the 2023 elections, noting that Atiku had already purchased the party’s Expression of Interest form before the zoning committee had made any formal decision.

“In his display of arrogance or mischief, Dele Momodu claimed that Atiku wanted PDP to field a candidate from the eastern part of the country. But he chose not to mention that the same Atiku had already declared his interest in running for president,” he stated.

The FCT Minister’s spokesperson went further, pointing out a trend of close political allies distancing themselves from Atiku after elections. He cited the exits of former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, former Delta State Governor and Atiku’s 2023 running mate Ifeanyi Okowa, and others as evidence of what he described as Atiku’s self-serving political approach.

“Why did everyone who worked closely with Atiku during the 2019 and 2023 elections leave him after the polls? The answer lies in Atiku’s perceived selfishness,” Olayinka stated.

He also took aim at Momodu personally, questioning his loyalty and ethnic pride. “Wike is a proud Ikwerre man, unlike Dele Momodu who isn’t proud of his Edo origin,” Olayinka claimed.

News

Tinubu set to inaugurate world’s largest cotton factory in Ogun – Abiodun

Published

24 minutes ago

May 1, 2025

Admin

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would perform the groundbreaking for the establishment of the biggest cotton and polyester processing factory in the world at the Special Agro Processing Zone located at the Gateway International Airport, Iperu/Ilisan area of the State.

Speaking while receiving the former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein, and members of the Iperu Development Association in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Governor Abiodun said the factory, which is under the “Renewed Hope Cotton Resurgent Initiative,” would sit on 400 hectares of land and would employ about 250,000 people daily.

He said: “In the next 30-45 days, we will be doing the groundbreaking of the Renewed Hope Cotton Resurgent Initiative that will be done by Mr. President himself. It is going to be a bigger factory, and it will be the biggest cotton and polyester processing factory in the world.

“It will employ 250,000 people per day. The promoters of this factory went around the whole state, and they decided that this is the place they want to site this factory because of the existing infrastructure like the airport, proximity to consumers, and the ability of raw materials to come in centrally.

“We are clearing the site, and this factory is going to sit on 400 hectares of land. It is like a whole new town. The requirements to support this industry can best be imagined. The economic impact on Iperu and its environs, the entire Remoland, Ijebu land, and the whole of Ogun State is beyond imagination,” Governor Abiodun said.

He said that apart from the cotton industry, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has also indicated interest in siting a base in the town to secure not only the airport but also to provide adequate security to Iperu and the adjoining towns.

Explaining the rationale behind the siting of the airport at Iperu, Abiodun noted that the town is at the central point of the state, which could be easily accessible from any part of the state, adding that the 100 housing units built by his administration at the Airport Housing Estate would soon be commissioned.

The present administration, the governor informed, embarked on the reconstruction of the old Ibadan and other township roads while public schools and primary healthcare centers were renovated, and a mother-and-child hospital was brought to the town.

He commended the former Accountant General of the Federation for her meritorious service to her state and fatherland, describing her as a true daughter of the state who served without blemish.

“Thank you for all you have done. You have attracted laudable projects like a women’s empowerment center, a mini stadium, and the erosion control project to the town as a form of giving back to society.

“You started from a humble background. You began your primary and secondary education here in Iperu and later went to Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta, before proceeding to Ogun State University and working with the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) before moving to the federal level.

“You are hardworking, diligent, focused, intentional, and a disciplined person. Thank you for making us proud; you are a pride to womanhood. It shows that gender must not be a limitation to what one can attain,” he added.

Speaking, Mrs. Madein appreciated the governor for creating a conducive business environment that has attracted a lot of investments to the state.

She said her reason for the visit was to give a report of her stewardship and to inform the governor of her various contributions to state and national development.

“The purpose of this visit is to come and give the report of my stewardship as the Accountant General of the Federation and to let you know that I have represented Ogun State well and contributed to national development.

“It is also to appreciate Your Excellency for the support you gave to me that enabled my success during my tenure,” she said.

Chairman of the Iperu Development Association, Otunba Taiwo Oyebanjo, noted that the combination of the governor and the Accountant General has greatly impacted the socio-economic development of Iperu, as the town now boasts modern facilities that have improved the standard of living.

The Ebi of Idena, Oba Lukman Salami, in his contribution, lauded the governor for the transformation witnessed in the last couple of years, noting that the town has moved from a village to a town with modern facilities.

News

UK resumes visa application services in Enugu, Port Harcourt

Published

33 minutes ago

May 1, 2025

Admin

The United Kingdom has resumed visa application services in Enugu, months after closing its centre in the city.

Last November, the UK shut down its visa application centres (VACs) in Enugu and Port Harcourt following the launch of its largest facility in Lagos, operated by VFS Global.

At the time, VFS announced that Nigerians applying for UK visas would need to book appointments at VACs in Lagos or Abuja.

The now-reopened centres in Enugu and Port Harcourt were previously managed by TLScontact.

In an update on Wednesday, the British High Commission said visa application services have resumed in Enugu.

“Residents of Enugu, Nigeria, can now enjoy a smooth UK visa process from the comfort of our Premium Application Centre at Omedel Luxury Hotel,” VFS noted earlier.

The agency said applications can be submitted at the Omedel Luxury Hotel.

In Port Harcourt, applications are processed at Hotel Presidential, according to VFS.