• As Alake says mining holds Nigeria’s fortune
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has warned traditional rulers in Southern Borno against the dangers of illegal mining in their communities, saying it can become another insurgency.
The governor, who gave the warning, yesterday, while receiving a delegation from Southern Borno on a sympathy visit, said Borno had had enough and would not tolerate anything that could bring another crisis to the state.
“Ninety five per cent of Boko Haram insurgency has been reduced in Borno, but if we don’t control mining in those areas, it will turn into insurgency.
“We should not take the issue of mining lightly. Emirs, traditional rulers should be careful about it.
“Forget about the little money our women and children are getting from the mining activities. If you allow mining to continue in those locations, you may not find areas to farm in the next 10 years. We should intensify prayers to Allah to prevent anything bad from happening to our people again,” he said.
He warned that any traditional ruler found allocating papers to illegal miners would be removed immediately.
According to him, under the law, mining is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, but with the consent of the host community.
“The FG must get the consent of the community. Who is the community? The Bulamas, Emirs, Lawans and, indeed, the government of the state,” he said.
Zulum spoke, just as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, yesterday, emphasised the significant role the country’s mineral resources could play in driving industrialisation and attracting foreign investment, says “it holds Nigeria’s fortune.”
He highlighted that the country’s rich deposits of minerals, such as gold, lithium, copper, and rare earth metals offer immense potential for economic growth and transformation.
Alake disclosed this in Abuja, during a pre-event press briefing ahead of the 9th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to take place from November 18 to 20 of in Abuja.
Alake, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Mary Ogbe, emphasised the event’s role as a catalyst for advancing discussions on the significance of mineral resources in driving national economic growth.
He highlighted the progress made under the current administration and reiterated Nigeria’s potential to unlock valuable untapped mineral resources through ongoing regulatory reforms.
“As we embark on this 9th edition, it is important to reflect on the tremendous progress made thus far in the sector by the present administration. Nigeria is home to some of the most valuable untapped mineral resources in the world, and as we continue to reform and restructure our regulatory frameworks, the focus remains on unlocking the full potential of these resources in ways that align with sustainable development goals,” he said.