๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ โฆ๐๐๐๐ง, ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐๐ โ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ค๐
The Federal Government has recovered over 90 mining sites from illegal operators and generated โฆ28 billion in 2024, surpassing its annual budgetary target, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has revealed.
Alake disclosed this at the South-West stakeholdersโ dialogue organised by Afenifere in collaboration with the DAWN Commission and South-West governors. The two-day summit, themed โStrengthening Democracy Through Dialogue: Assessing Progress, Charting the Future,โ focused on governance and sustainable development across the region.
According to the minister, over 300 illegal miners were arrested, 50 prosecuted, and 20 convicted since the beginning of the current administration. He noted that the ministry, working with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, established mining marshals to secure mining sites nationwide.
โThe Federal Government raked in โฆ28 billion as revenue in 2024, exceeding its budgetary projection,โ Alake said, adding that raw minerals would no longer be exported without local processing to strengthen value chains.
He also cautioned traditional rulers against aiding illegal miners, warning that national interest must not be traded for financial gain.
Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, accused federal appointees of the All Progressives Congress in the state of plotting to hijack his administration ahead of the next governorship election, alleging abuse of power and bias by some security agencies.
