“Oshiomhole Claims Retired Generals Behind Illegal Mining, Urges Government to Act”

Adams Oshiomhole, former governor of Edo State and current Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, has accused several unnamed retired military generals of being involved in illegal mining activities across Nigeria. The allegations came during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Appropriation, following the submission of a report by Sampson Ekong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development.

Oshiomhole warned that Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy through the solid minerals sector would remain futile unless the rampant illegal mining in the country is effectively tackled. He argued that no amount of government funding for the sector would yield results as long as illegal mining activities persist.

“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 is unaware of them,” Oshiomhole said. He went on to recount a letter he had written to former President Muhammadu Buhari about the issue, highlighting the challenges his team had encountered while conducting a primary election in Zamfara due to illegal miners who were reportedly arming themselves in ways similar to those in South Sudan.

Oshiomhole criticized what he called the government’s inconsistent approach to security, comparing the robust response to illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta with the relative inaction against illegal mining operations. He urged the federal government to deploy military forces, including the Joint Military Task Force (JTF), to combat illegal mining with the same urgency used against oil theft.

“These illegal miners are armed, using choppers to cart away gold and transport it out of the country. They are making billions of dollars, yet the government is not doing enough to stop it,” Oshiomhole said, adding that the individuals behind these operations were powerful figures, including retired military officers.

He called for a more forceful government response, urging the executive to deploy the same military resources used in the fight against oil bunkering to tackle illegal mining. “We cannot afford to keep lamenting. We must take action. We need to deploy force against these criminals, whether they are retired generals, former permanent secretaries, or other influential figures,” Oshiomhole stressed.

The Senate panel, agreeing with Oshiomhole’s assessment, urged security agencies to act decisively to address the issue. However, the accusations sparked backlash from some retired generals, who rejected the claims as unfounded and defamatory.

Brig. Gen. John Sura (retd.), a former Commander of 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “the highest level of falsehood.” He emphasized that no retired general would engage in activities that undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty, stating that most retired officers lead quiet lives, living off their pensions and prioritizing national development over personal gain.

Similarly, Gen. Bashir Adewinbi (retd.) rejected Oshiomhole’s claims, asserting that he was unaware of any retired general involved in illegal mining. He dismissed the allegations as misinformation, stating that no retired officer had any business engaging in such illegal activities.

Despite the rebuttals, Oshiomhole’s call for a robust government response to illegal mining continues to resonate within the Senate and beyond, as the debate over the role of powerful figures in Nigeria’s illegal mining sector intensifies.