Nigeria’s House of Representatives Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security, and Anti-Money Laundering has summoned the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO) to appear before it.
Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Sanni Abdulraheem, issued the directive during the resumed meeting of the committee on Wednesday.
He expressed frustration that, despite the committee’s friendly approach, key government agencies, particularly the Ministry of Solid Minerals and the NMCO, had shown limited willingness to cooperate.
“However, the committee has directed the Secretariat to write to the minister and DG of NMCO to appear before it on scheduled dates, ideally accompanied by the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies,” Abdulraheem said.
The chairman added that the committee plans to conduct working visits to all relevant agencies under its mandate, physically inspect mineral exploitation sites, invite selected agencies for hearings, and submit its findings in a report to the House.
He explained that the committee’s mandate includes:
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Conducting a comprehensive investigation into the scale, patterns, actors, and modalities of illegal mineral exploitation across the country, including associated revenue losses.
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Examining the operational roles, effectiveness, and challenges of security agencies deployed to mineral-bearing areas, such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mining Marshals, and other relevant formations, to assess their capacity to secure mining sites and protect national assets.
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Investigating the security implications of illegal mining, including links to organized crime, communal conflicts, environmental degradation, and threats to national stability.
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Appraising the legal and regulatory framework governing mineral exploitation in Nigeria to identify gaps, overlaps, and enforcement deficiencies, and recommending legislative amendments or new enactments where necessary.
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