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The National Economic Council (NEC) is set to begin a crackdown on illegal gold miners as part of a broader strategy to safeguard Nigeria’s natural resources and boost government revenue.
The move follows the Council’s decision to expand the mandate of its Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, to include the fight against illegal mining and mineral smuggling.
In a press briefing after the 153rd NEC meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Uzodinma said the expanded terms of reference reflect the government’s resolve to close revenue leakages from solid minerals.
He added that the committee would work closely with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), and security agencies to curb gold smuggling, unregulated quarrying, and illicit mineral exports.
The Imo State governor explained that the expanded mandate aims to integrate the fight against illegal mining into the broader national resource protection framework previously used in the oil sector,adding that the committee is expected to submit its first progress report on the expanded mandate at the next NEC meeting in November.
The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has failed to open his defence in his ongoing terrorism trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Kanu told the court that he could not proceed because he had not been given access to his case file, which would enable him to familiarise himself with its contents and prepare adequately for his defence , praying the […]
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