₦airaland Forum

JUST IN: Alake triples security after death threats over mining reforms

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has had to triple the number of his personal security after receiving several death threats from individuals and companies whose mining licences were revoked for failing to comply with government regulations.

He said the threats, which included text messages sent directly to his phone, became so frequent and serious that he was compelled to increase the number of armed security personnel assigned to him as a precautionary measure against possible attacks from those angered by the ministry’s renewed enforcement of mining laws.

Alake disclosed this on Friday at a pre-event press briefing ahead of the 10th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to hold from October 13 to 15, 2025, in Abuja.

The event, themed “Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance,” will bring together policymakers, investors and stakeholders to assess the country’s progress in the sector.

The minister, in his address, said his insistence on enforcing long-neglected mining laws and revoking dormant licences had [/b]provoked pushback from powerful interests who had enjoyed years of impunity.

[b]“In fact, I have had to triple my personal security because I’ve received several threats from those whose licences were revoked for one form of infraction or the other. One even sent me a text message threatening me directly, Alake said.

According to him, some of those affected have resorted to intimidation and blackmail, including sponsored media attacks and spurious allegations, in an attempt to halt the ongoing reforms.

“They have employed all sorts of tactics to make us reverse these decisions. But I told them, you can go and study my antecedents. We didn’t dance into this office; we fought battles to get here. We are battle-hardened and we will not retreat,” he added.

PUNCH Online reports that the death threats followed the revocation of 3,794 mining titles, including a fresh cancellation of no fewer than 1,263 mineral licences within the last two years under Alake’s leadership.

However, the minister’s decision to boost his security detail runs contrary to President Bola Tinubu’s directive limiting ministers and top government officials to a maximum of five security personnel and no more than three vehicles in their convoys, as part of ongoing cost-cutting and efficiency reforms within the federal government.

Alake further reaffirmed that the ongoing crackdown on inactive licence holders was part of the government’s resolve to restore order, transparency and credibility to the mining sector.

He explained that the ministry discovered several operators who had held licences for more than 10 years without paying service fees or carrying out any exploration activity.

“We came in and started enforcing the regulations that had always existed but were ignored for years.

“Many held licences for over a decade, doing nothing and failing to pay their annual service fees. That kind of impunity cannot continue under our watch,” he said.

The minister also accused some affected firms of resorting to smear campaigns and threats of international arbitration after failing to meet local regulatory requirements.

“One company that hasn’t paid service fees for years is threatening international arbitration. I want to see the international judge who will rule in favour of a firm that violated our local laws”, Alake revealed.

He described the attacks and intimidation as the “price of reform,” vowing that the ministry would not back down in its mission to sanitise the solid minerals industry.

“The strengthening of these regulations has come with a price. But we are waging this battle on principle, not personality. We cannot continue doing things the same way and expect different results, he said.

He noted that the ministry had invoked the “use it or lose it” clause embedded in every mining title, similar to the provisions governing land ownership.

“Anywhere in the world, when you are given a certificate of occupancy, you are expected to develop the land within a specified time or lose it. It’s the same thing within”, the minister said.

Alake stressed that while the government was firm on enforcement, it remained committed to creating an environment conducive to responsible investment and value addition.

“We are not against investors; we welcome genuine ones. It is from profitable investments that the government can generate revenue through royalties, taxes and service fees. But that doesn’t mean we’ll indulge defaulters who repeatedly flout the law.”

He disclosed that the Mining Cadastre Office had been mandated to ensure strict compliance with all statutory obligations.

Source:
https://punchng.com/just-in-alake-triples-security-after-death-threats-over-mining-reforms/#google_vignette

May Almighty God keep safeguarding you

Welldone minister Alake for the great job sanitizing the mining sector. Of course there'll always be challenges to overcome

Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

TouchNfollow:
Source:
https://punchng.com/just-in-alake-triples-security-after-death-threats-over-mining-reforms/#google_vignette

Alake of Ebaland

AMINDA:
Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

Go and ask your kisnmen killing themselves over illegal mining in Zamfara.

Oga, what stop you to give SSS the numbers, to trace the phone that sent you, death threats? Or, only using the opportunity to have long queue security, in other leave like lord of Manor.

Fiscus105:
Oga, what stop you to give SSS to trace the phone that sent you, death threats? Or only using the opportunity to have long queue security, in other leave like lord of Manor.

That's right. Get in touch with the DSS and get this fixed. But what if there are vested interest from ....

Oga you did well.

All this is Nollywood acting in order to gain sympathy.

with all the security na still eves apple dey kill man. just whining yourself .

Fiscus105:
Oga, what stop you to give SSS to trace the phone that sent you, death threats? Or only using the opportunity to have long queue security, in other leave like lord of Manor.

No mind am. Audio threat.

Na mumu people go believe the lamba.

Actually there's alot of lawlessness in the mining sector. I can't blame Alake.

Same story line of Tinubu disciples

People threatened you through text messages and can't submit their numbers to DSS.....

AMINDA:
Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

Nothing.
Just clout and noise

AMINDA:
Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

Nothing. Just clout and noise

What happens after he is no longer min.? Can he sustain a tripled security? Total waste of tax players money and resources.

AMINDA:
Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

You are always having negative opinions. You look like you're from a region where illegal mining is ya fuel and this minister is caging ya.
Be a good citizen.

Fuckyoumod:
Nothing. Just clout and noise

What happens after he is no longer min.? Can he sustain a tripled security? Total waste of tax players money and resources.

Are you a one of those threatening him?

We didn’t dance into this office; we fought battles to get here. We are battle-hardened and we will not retreat,”

My northern brothers are not happy about the reforms, they want to keep illegally mining their gold without any disturbance while at the same time sharing from the national resource AKA crude. Nigeria na nollywood film

Whenever reforms that will benefit the nation and the people are put into place, this what happens, the few who benefit fight everything to bring it down.

We need men with iron balls to transform this country.

I am happy Jagaban has not gone back on his policies to please anybody.

We don't need people like Obi who is controlled by his minions.

The NSA should do something about this situation, not just to beef up his security but fish out those threatening the honorable minister

AMINDA:
Square peg in a round hole. Beyond these theatrics, what has he achieved so far in the mining sector?

Absolutely nothing

xxxxx

Coldspice:
Go and ask your kisnmen killing themselves over illegal mining in Zamfara.

Those people are so terrible in asking stupid question. They are so lazy in doing there research first but will just come to social media out of empty head to ask nonsensical questions out of hate and ignorance

Every single area that is infested with the scourge of banditry terrorism has an abundant supply of solid minerals.....which means they are chasing away the indigenes so they can steal from their land with impunity.

And yes the government of the association of political krooks have a hand in it.... actually they have both hands in the ills facing us today.

Omo Ogbon.
Those eating free from the so called mining are the first suspect

Omo Ogbon.
Those eating free from the so called mining are the first suspect.
Fear of unknown grips them allllll

Goodlady:
Are you a ong those threatening him?

I don't have time for clout chasers.

You are cool, with insecurity and waste of tax players money.

If Tinubu's Govt. Was doing well, why would he need to triple his security? If a government official would triple his security, what's the fate of millions of defenceless Nigerians?

M'ron like you!

Dear minister, you must know by now that you have no immunity after office. Those you aid In pilfering our resources will go scot-free.

Can you explain why our gold exports went down last year? From $1.6B USD - 5m USD (total for 2024 N/A)?
You revoke licenses and reassign it to who?

Make eh look like say he dey work. Abegi

😂😂⭕️📢😂😂😂




Nigeria leaders and talk talk talk talk talk talk

cdqyehyeh:
May Almighty God keep safeguarding you

what of those security ?? They are human too if anything go bad for them government will not remember them again

And when we checked who are those miners Lords they are 100% from the North who are El Rufai, Atiku, Sule Lamido etc syndicates and brethren yet claimed they want to fix Nigeria.

Tinubu blocked them in NNPC since then they are angry for blocking their billions stolen conduit pipe.

Tinubu blocked the dictation of dollars exchange rate in the market from running their evil bereau de change that only favours them they are angry.

Oil subsidy billions only to their account no single SS indegene get a single dollar from oil subsidy despite owing the oil. Even one of these evil people associate who is directly beneficiary of oil subsidy was caught recently with $65 billion liquid cash in his account while SS people are wallowing in poverty, Tinubu stop oil subsidy they are angry and sworn to make Nigeria ungovernable.

Tinubu should provide Alake wiith a special squad security officers and no single Northern Muslim should be in the squad.

Enemies of Nigeria are everywhere 😢