₦airaland Forum

Retired generals behind illegal mining, says Oshiomhole

The Senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, Adams Oshiomhole, has alleged that retired military generals are behind illegal mining across the country.

Oshiomhole, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, made the allegation on Friday when the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Sampson Ekong, submitted his 2025 budget report before the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

The former Governor of Edo State, who is a member of the Appropriations Committee, said the retired military generals are known to him and everyone.

He also recalled a letter he wrote to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue of illegal mining when he was in office.

Oshiomhole said, “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 doesn’t know them. I wrote a letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter when he was in office.

“This is because a team that I sent to go and conduct the primary somewhere reported back to me the challenge of conducting primary elections in Zamfara because of the illegal miners.

“If we have to fight this menace, we need to deploy the Army even to kill anyone who is involved in the illegal pumping of oil. We should also deploy JTFs, comprising the Army, Police, and Air force, against them.”

Oshiomhole said the country’s efforts to diversify its economy would remain a mirage if President Bola Tinubu’s administration failed to address the issue of illegal mining.

The panel agreed with Oshiomhole’s submissions and urged various security agencies to take up the challenge.

Fortruth:
Where are the Generals from.. what is their religion….

He is useless because he supported them and APC for YEARS… Nonsense

Fortruth:
Where are the Generals from.. what is their religion….

He is useless because he supported them and APC for YEARS… Nonsense

Ajens1991:
He is stating the obvious.

Some of these miners are financiers of political parties.

Will the government do anything about it, NO!

ogaemma:
Some serving Governor's and ex governor's Including high politicians are also involve in the illegal mining.
All Chinese Company's and Chinese immigrants in Nigeria must be checked mate.
Chinese are also heavily involved in illegal mining across the country.
They also buy huge quantity of solid minerals in the black market from illegal miner's.
How they manage to smuggle this huge quantity of illegal solid minerals out of Nigeria is what I can't figure out.
Our Airports, Seaports and boarder's are just too porous.