The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has warned foreign operators who sponsor bandits to perform illegal mining operations in the country.
The Minister issued the warning when a delegation of the Nigeria-China Chamber of Mines led by its National President, Dr. Olugbenga Ajala, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Alake disclosed that, “The government will come down firmly on these unscrupulous foreign operators sponsoring banditry to perpetrate illegal mining. Let me use this medium to appeal through you to tell those sponsors to desist or face the full wrath of the law.”
The Minister said that the Ministry is committed to establishing a multi-agency task force that will end the activities of illegal miners and their collaborators.
He reiterated that the government has given illegal miners 30-days grace to become legitimate to continue in their trade.
According to him, this will help to streamline and structure the Small-Scale Artisanal Miners for maximum yield to the Federal Government.
