I Was Threatened For Linking Powerful Nigerians To Illegal Mining -Alake

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has verified that he is receiving threats to his life following his statements regarding the connection between banditry and illegal mining in Nigeria.

He affirmed this while visiting the site of the explosion in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, on Monday.

Last Tuesday, an explosion shook Adeyi Avenue in Bodija, Ibadan, resulting in five confirmed deaths, 77 individuals sustaining varying degrees of injuries, and damage to 58 houses.

Alake disclosed that since he spoke out about the involvement of influential Nigerians in illegal mining during a session at the National Assembly, he has been receiving life-threatening messages.

The minister stated, "During my budget defense at the House of Representatives or Senate, I unequivocally stated to the entire world that powerful Nigerians are connected to the banditry associated with illegal miners in this country. I openly expressed this, and, naturally, I faced threats. Nevertheless, we remain resolute because such truths need to be spoken, and, in any case, I wasn't revealing anything new; most people were already aware of it."

“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. So, this is a societal problem, and I did say at that meeting at the budgetary defence that we were employing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies and tactics to combine all of these. The details I won’t be able to reveal publicly now because that will also be un-strategic.”

Nevertheless, he emphasized that the Federal Government is collaborating with essential stakeholders at the state, local government, and host community levels to halt the activities of illegal miners.

Alake underscored the necessity of involving host communities, as the security strategy devised by the committee would ultimately require the participation of those familiar with the local terrain and dynamics.

He elaborated, "In the often-unexplored forest areas, one crucial aspect unknown to many is that the bandits, backed by influential Nigerians, possess significant funding and formidable weaponry. They have even planted mines on the ground to counter our ground forces attempting to dislodge them. This underscores the imperative for the military's presence, active involvement, and engagement in addressing the situation."