Nigeria loses N13.7trn to illegal mining annually – Reps

The House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals on Monday said the country loses $9 billion (N13.7trillion) annually to illegal mining activities across the country.

This is as the Nigerian Army said it has arrested 387 suspects in connection with illegal mining activities in the last 7 months.

Chairman of the committee, Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi who said this at a public hearing organised by the committee to investigate issues of illegal mining in the solid mineral sector, added that the menace had hampered the country’s ability to maximise the benefits from its mineral resources.

Gbefwi lamented that only a paltry three per cent royalty is being paid by the few licensed miners in the country. 

He said the negative impacts of illegal mining have led to insecurity and conflicts over control of mining sites and their resources. 

He said these conflicts have escalated into violence there by exacerbating existing political and social tensions in affected communities which has resulted in the limited data availability and inadequate measures to control the illicit practice.

He said:  “This public hearing is aimed to investigating illegal mining activities, under-reporting wins (extract E-Products) by mining and quarry license operators, utilisation of financial interventions in the Nigerian solid minerals sector amounting to trillions of naira within the solid mineral sector and also the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act (Amendment Bill) and Nigeria solid Minerals Development Company (Establishment Bill) respectively.”

Also, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, disclosed that those involved in illegal mining activities have links with top personalities who give them cover.

Speaking on why illegal mining has continued to take place despite moves by the federal government to curtail it, Director of Operations, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo who represented the Chief of Defence Staff said most people involved in the process have connections backing them up, adding that foreigners also come into the country to carry out the illegal act.

Speaking also at the hearing, the representative of the Nigeria Army Colonel Tajudeen Lamidi said the army has arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining.