Alake Alleges That Prominent Illegal Miners Fund Terrorism

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake

Banditry, illegal mining, and terrorism are the products of powerful Nigerians, according to Alake

According to Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake, wealthy Nigerians who fund illegal mining are also the ones funding kidnappings and banditry in the nation.

Alake made these remarks on Tuesday, December 12, in Abuja, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals to defend the 2024 budget.

According to him, “One pernicious discovery that we have made is that a lot of these banditry, terrorism, and insecurity that we associate with this sector are actually sponsored by illegal miners.

“These are not your artisanal miners. They are not the people who pick gold on the ground. These are heavy and powerful individuals in our country. And they are Nigerians. They are not foreigners.

“Yes, you can see foreigners as symptoms, but they are not the disease. Nigerians are the powers behind those foreigners that you see on the streets. We are identifying them and employing various strategies, both kinetic and non-kinetic.”