Economic Sabotage: Senate reveals retired Military Generals behind illegal mining in Nigeria

*Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, avers the ‘ongoing illegal mining across the country is being carried out by retired Military Generals, and we know them. They use helicopters to cart away gold, making billions of Dollars, while the country suffers’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As the Nigerian Government intensifies efforts at diversifying the economy, the Senate, in the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja, FCT, has alleged that some retired Military Generals may be responsible for the wave of illegal mining activities across the country.

ConsumerConnect reports the Upper Legislative Chamber has frowned on the illegal mining activities that have continued to undermine the West African country’s bid to reengineer its economy.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, made this allegation during the 2025 Budget presentation by Senator Sampson Ekong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, to the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior

Oshiomhole, a former Governor of Edo State, expressed frustration over the Federal Government’s seeming inaction to tackle the menace.

The Federal lawmaker urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to address the illegal mining crisis decisively.

The erstwhile President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also compared the situation to the government’s robust measures against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta region, and advocated similar enforcement in the mining sector of the Nigerian economy.

Oshiomhole further stated: “The ongoing illegal mining across the country is being carried out by retired Generals, and we know them.

“They use helicopters to cart away gold, making billions of Dollars, while the country suffers.”

He as well recalled that during his tenure as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, he had written to former President Muhammadu Buhari about the situation, detailing how illegal miners arm local groups and use sophisticated equipment to exploit resources.

“This issue has been left unchecked for too long. We have the data and surveys showing where these activities are happening.

“It’s time for the government to deploy Joint Task Forces, just as it has done in tackling oil theft,” Senator Oshiomhole asserted.

In a related development, Senator Ekong presented his Committee’s recommendation for the 2025 Budget of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

The Committee has proposed an increase from the N9 billion capital vote initially allocated by the Executive to N539 billion.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development equally emphasised the potential of the mining sector of the Nigerian economy.

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