Alake Links Illegal Mining to Terrorism Financing
By NaijaEnquirer Staff
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has declared that the conviction of Ansaru commander, Mahmud Usman, has exposed the nexus between terrorism and illegal mining in Nigeria.
Usman was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while still facing 31 other terrorism-related charges.
Terrorism Funded by Illegal Mining
Reacting to the judgment, Alake said the case had “conclusively established” that bandit and terror groups depend on proceeds from illegal mining to sustain violent activities across the country.
“It is gratifying for me that the judiciary is aligned with the ministry’s objective of zero tolerance for illegal mining. This verdict has shown beyond doubt that bandits engage in illegal mining to fund terrorism,”the Minister stated.
Breakthrough in Mining Sector Reforms
Alake described the ruling as not just a legal victory but also a breakthrough in the government’s wider strategy to sanitise the mining sector. He assured that more drastic measures against illegal mining would be announced soon.
“Further tightening of the noose around illegalities in mining continues as more drastic measures will be announced shortly,”he said.
Security Agencies Commended
The Minister praised the Directorate of State Services (DSS) for its role in tracking, arresting, and prosecuting terrorists engaged in illegal resource exploitation. He added that inter-agency collaboration would be stepped up to strengthen surveillance and security at mining sites nationwide.
“We shall increase inter-agency collaboration to raise the tempo of surveillance to rid our communities of illegal mining perpetrated by bandits,”Alake said.
Mining Marshals and Sector Security
Alake recalled that the Mining Marshals initiative, introduced in 2024, remains central to government efforts to secure the solid minerals sector and cut off financing channels for criminal groups. He emphasised that beyond prosecutions, regulators must learn from terrorism cases to reinforce institutional capacity against illegal mining.
Ansaru, known as the Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa, has been linked to several high-profile attacks, including the raid on the Nigerian Army Wawa Cantonment and the 2022 Kuje Prisons attack in Abuja.
