The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has disclosed that foreign nationals apprehended for illegal mining activities and suspected to be linked to terrorism have been handed over to the Office of the National Security Adviser for further investigation.

Alake made the revelation on Friday while fielding questions from Channels Television at an event in Abuja on claims by some US lawmakers linking illegal Chinese mining to terrorism funding in Nigeria.

Though he did not specify the number of foreign nationals handed over to the office of the NSA, Alake further disclosed that over 327 persons, including foreign nationals, have been apprehended for illegal mining, with about 142 of them facing prosecution and about 3,000 mining licences revoked.

He attributed the successes recorded, including the revenue generation of the solid minerals sector from ₦6 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion as of December 2025, to President Bola Tinubu’s strategic transformation of the solid minerals sector.

The minister asserted that, given the victories in the solid minerals sector as well as other sectors in the country, President Tinubu’s reforms will overcome decades of corruption and weak institutions in Nigeria.

Addressing the stakeholders and industry players in the solid minerals sector, the Minister charged them to have the right mental attitude and develop a social conscience in order to move the sector to far greater heights.

Threat to Regional Stability

Late last year, President Bola Tinubu lamented the continued plundering of mineral resources, which he said is undermining West Africa’s stability.

The president, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, spoke at the Annual General Meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA).

“I believe the time has come for us to designate resource theft, mining, and stealing of minerals in the region as an international crime that threatens regional stability and galvanise the world against threats from stolen minerals from West Africa,” he said. (Channels News)

•PHOTO: A part of the Illegal mining site sealed by the Enugu State Government.

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