The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed that he has been receiving life-threatening messages after linking influential Nigerians to illegal mining activities in Nigeria.
Alake made this revelation during a visit to the explosion site in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where an explosion occurred last Tuesday, resulting in casualties and property damage.
Alake, who confirmed the threats during the visit, emphasized that he had openly addressed the involvement of powerful individuals in illegal mining during a budget defense session at the National Assembly.
Despite facing intimidation, the minister remained resolute, stating that exposing such issues was crucial.
He said, “Many people have been saying it, I only gave it an official stamp, based on intelligence reports. So, there is a lot of connivance along and among the strata of the society both high, medium and low. It is not an exclusive preserve of just a high hut. It cuts across the strata of the society.”
Regarding the ongoing efforts to curb illegal mining, Alake highlighted the collaboration between the Federal Government and various stakeholders at the state, local government, and host community levels. He stressed the importance of involving host communities in developing security strategies due to their intimate knowledge of local terrain.
Alake revealed the challenges faced by security forces combating illegal mining activities, including the use of funding and heavy weaponry by the criminal elements involved. The minister emphasized the necessity of the military’s presence and engagement to address these security concerns effectively.
Commenting on the recent explosion in Ibadan, Alake condemned the incident and cautioned against premature pronouncements by the government. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive examination of forensic analyses reports from security agencies and the Mines Inspectorate Division before making any official statements.
Alake said, “It would be presumptuous and precipitate for the government to make any solid pronouncement or definite pronouncement on the incident for now until we have examined all the forensic analyses reports, all the investigations from all the security agencies.”
The minister assured that the government is diligently working to gather authentic and viable forensic reports to enable informed decision-making.
