Oshiomhole Calls for Superior Power to Tackle Illegal Mining in Nigeria
Adams Oshiomhole, the Edo North Senator, has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to deploy superior power in combating illegal mining in Nigeria. Oshiomhole, who is also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, emphasized that the illegal mining issue requires robust enforcement and suggested that stronger measures, akin to those used in tackling illegal bunkering, should be implemented.
In an interview with Arise Television, Oshiomhole stated that the illegal mining problem is driven by powerful figures, and only a forceful response could neutralize those behind it. He likened the need for military-style intervention to the Joint Task Force (JTF) approach used in dealing with illegal bunkering activities. Oshiomhole pointed out that some influential individuals, including retired generals, are implicated in illegal mining, although he clarified that he had been misquoted in previous statements regarding the involvement of “some retired Generals.”
He added that it is concerning that both foreign and local actors are engaging in illegal mining without proper regulation. According to Oshiomhole, it is incomprehensible for foreign individuals, who are not geologists, to come to Nigeria, identify mining sites, and carry out mining operations without any oversight. He stressed the need for the government to take stronger action to protect Nigeria’s solid minerals.
Oshiomhole’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the environmental and economic impacts of illegal mining in the country. With foreign and local involvement in the unregulated industry, he called for a government response that matches the scale of the threat posed by illegal mining to Nigeria’s resources.
