The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to checkmate the activities of illegal miners across the country to grow the economy and reduce the associated risks in the sector.
Olukoyede made this call in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, North Central Nigeria at the 5th Annual Conference of the National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development (NCMMRD), with the theme: “Minerals and Metal: A Panacea for Economic Growth and Diversification”.
According to him, “EFCC is a major stakeholder in the issue of illegal mining. The Commission has been at the forefront of sanitizing the mining sector in Nigeria. This is done in line with the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The EFCC Chairman, who spoke through the Ilorin Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Michael Nzekwe, noted that “illegal mining is not only a threat to our local and national economy but also constitutes a grave danger to the lives of the people.”
He lamented the rate at which resources in Kwara State are being plundered by artisanal miners, noting that “the resources, if channeled through the right sources and put into good use are enough to sustain the economy of the state and make it self-reliant.”
While commending the government of Mallam AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State for being supportive in the fight against corruption and illegal mining, Olukoyede called for the support of all stakeholders for the Commission to succeed in the arduous task, warning that the EFCC would not treat any economic saboteur with kid gloves.
Dominica Nwabufo
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