Stop shielding illegal miners, Alake tells Kogi youths, elders

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, Thursday, called on the youths of Kogi state to convince elders, community leaders and local authorities to stop covering up for illegal miners in order to reduce the damage they are inflicting on the environment.

While addressing members of the Concerned Kogi Youths Against Environmental Degradation, who were on a protest to the ministry, Alake thanked them for joining the ministry’s campaign against illegal mining and assured them that the government is deploying technology and empowering the Mining Marshal to increase the tempo of the war against illegal mining.

He said Kogi in particular has been of concern to the ministry, as he recalled that the first operation of the Mining Marshal was the dislodgement of illegal mines from the area covered by licence 19325, belonging to the North-South Extractive Industries in Yagba-East local government area.

“The Marshals have aided many companies to expel illegal miners and prosecute them. Between March, 2024 and August, 2026,  the Mining Marshals identified 374 illegal mining sites. To date, 108 of such sites have been cleared. We have arrested 743 suspects; we are prosecuting 165 cases involving 430 accused persons. So far, we have secured five convictions.”

He said several committees headed by the ministry’s permanent secretaries have visited the state to probe similar complaints and  the  investigations, he noted, revealed that illegal miners are not aliens but indigenes involved in illegitimate livelihood with the support of elders, traditional rulers and local government functionaries.

“Their illegal activities are killing the mining companies. In the coal fields, they are stealing the minerals of mining companies which have paid money to obtain licences and would still pay royalties for the minerals extracted. Illegal miners don’t pay for licences, they don’t pay royalties, but they enrich themselves at the expense of the Nigerian people.

“This ministry has a message for them and their collaborators: time is running out. With the ongoing deployment of technology and the consolidation of the Mining Marshals, very soon there would be no hiding place for these criminals.

“If, as you claim, you are Kogi youths, take this message to the stakeholders in your communities. Consult your elders. Convince community leaders and local authorities to back off and allow the machinery of enforcement to work diligently and effectively to combat illegal mining and stop the reckless degradation of our environment.”

The minister was represented by the director, Mining Inspectorate, Imam Ganiyu, director, Mining Environmental Compliance, Dr Vivian Okono, Director, Special Duties, Engr. Frank Odom, Director, Human Resources, Dr Ijeoma Idika and the Commander, Mining Marshals, John Attah Onoja.