Adams Oshiomhole, chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, has once again raised concerns about illegal mining in Nigeria, insisting that some retired military generals are colluding with foreigners to loot the country’s solid minerals. His remarks, which initially sparked controversy, were clarified during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time Show on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
Oshiomhole made it clear that he was not accusing all retired military generals of engaging in illegal mining but emphasized that some were deeply involved. He dismissed claims that his statement was a blanket accusation, explaining that his assertion was based on credible information. He expressed concern that Nigeria has not applied the same level of force in tackling illegal mining as it has in protecting its oil resources in the Niger Delta.
According to him, his claim is backed by the account of a retired general who personally witnessed foreigners, in collaboration with some retired military officers, engaging in large-scale mineral theft in Nigeria. Oshiomhole revealed that he urged the retired officer to document his findings in a concise report of two to three pages, which he then submitted to former President Muhammadu Buhari during his tenure.
He explained his actions, saying, “I pleaded with him to write a summary, no more than three pages, because I have no military or security training. As chairman of the ruling party at the time, I submitted this report to the then-president, a retired general himself, knowing he would understand the security implications better than I could. I even advised the retired general to include his phone number so the president could reach out to him directly for further details.”
Oshiomhole also disclosed that the retired general warned him of the devastating consequences if the issue was not urgently addressed. He recalled, “He told me that if illegal mining is not stopped, what is happening in the Northeast will look like child’s play in comparison.” The senator said he personally handed the report to Buhari, urging him to review it and take immediate action.
He strongly questioned how foreigners could easily locate and mine Nigeria’s solid minerals without inside assistance from powerful individuals. “It is absolutely impossible for foreigners, who are not geologists, to come from distant continents, find mineral-rich sites in Nigeria, extract valuable resources, and transport them out of the country without some level of internal collaboration,” he said.
Despite the alarming nature of his claims, Oshiomhole noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has begun tackling the issue by establishing mining marshals to monitor and protect Nigeria’s mineral resources. He expressed hope that these measures would curb illegal mining and ensure that Nigeria benefits from its vast mineral wealth instead of losing it to foreign exploitation facilitated by insiders.
