The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called on youths in Kogi State to actively engage their elders, traditional rulers, and local authorities to withdraw all forms of support for illegal miners operating within their communities.
Alake made the call in Abuja while addressing members of the Concerned Kogi Youths Against Environmental Degradation, who staged a peaceful protest at the Ministry’s headquarters over severe environmental damage caused by illicit mining operations across the state.
Commending the youth group for aligning with the Federal Government’s ongoing anti-illegal mining crusade, the Minister assured them that the Ministry is rapidly deploying advanced technology and strengthening the Mining Marshals to intensify nationwide enforcement.
Highlighting Kogi State as a major area of concern, Alake recalled that the maiden operation of the Mining Marshals involved the clearing of illegal operators from Mining Licence 19325, owned by North-South Extractive Industries in Yagba East Local Government Area.
Providing updates on enforcement efforts, the Minister disclosed that between March 2024 and August 2026, the Mining Marshals identified 374 illegal mining sites across the country, clearing 108 of them. A total of 743 suspects have been arrested, with 165 cases involving 430 accused persons currently being prosecuted, resulting in five convictions so far.
Alake revealed that investigations by various Ministerial fact-finding committees in Kogi revealed that many illegal operators are state indigenes backed by community elders, traditional leaders, and local government officials. He emphasized that these illicit activities rob legitimate mining companies and the nation of vital revenue, as illegal operators evade licensing fees and royalty payments.
Issuing a stern warning, Alake declared that time is running out for perpetrators and their local collaborators, stressing that the ongoing technological deployment and consolidation of the Mining Marshals will leave criminals with no hiding place. He charged the protesting youths to carry the message home and persuade local stakeholders to allow the machinery of enforcement to work unhindered.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of the youth group, Comrade Isaiah Davies Ijele, stated that the protest was organized to highlight severe environmental degradation in Kogi East Senatorial District, specifically Ankpa and Omala areas. He reported that illegal mining has destroyed farmlands, ruined roads, contaminated water sources, and drastically degraded living conditions, urging the Federal Government to deploy Mines Inspectorate officials and Mining Marshals to seal non-compliant facilities.
In her response, the Director of Mining Environmental Compliance, Dr. Vivian Okono, disclosed that the Ministry is compiling a comprehensive list of mining companies defaulting on their Community Development Agreements. She assured that the names of defaulting entities will soon be published alongside strict statutory sanctions.
