Oshiomhole Reiterates Allegation of Retired Generals’ Involvement in Illegal Mining

Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, has reaffirmed his claim that some retired military generals, in collaboration with foreign entities, are engaged in the illegal mining of Nigeria’s solid minerals.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time Show on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, Oshiomhole clarified that his allegation does not implicate all retired generals but rather a select group involved in illicit mining operations.

“It would be reckless to generalize and say all retired generals are involved. That is not what I said,” he stated. “However, I still believe and know that some retired generals are part of this problem. Unfortunately, we are not deploying the same level of national security efforts to protect our solid minerals as we do for crude oil in the Niger Delta.”

The former Edo State governor disclosed that his assertion is based on intelligence from a retired military general who personally witnessed foreign nationals illicitly extracting solid minerals with the support of some retired officers. He recounted that he had urged the retired officer to document his findings in a brief report, which was subsequently submitted to former President Muhammadu Buhari during his tenure.

“I asked him to summarize his observations in two to three pages, which I then presented to President Buhari while I was the national chairman of the ruling party. Given Buhari’s military background, I believed he would grasp the security implications more clearly,” Oshiomhole explained.

According to the senator, the retired general warned that if the situation remained unchecked, the security challenges in the Northeast could escalate further.

Oshiomhole expressed concern that large-scale illegal mining activities could not take place without the knowledge of influential figures.

“It is inconceivable that foreign nationals, who are neither Nigerians nor geologists, could independently locate and extract specific solid minerals without inside assistance,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in addressing the issue, citing the recent establishment of a special task force to monitor and secure Nigeria’s mining sites.