Dele Alake
By Abayomi Grace
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has hailed the conviction of Ansaru commander Mahmud Usman to 15 years in jail as a significant victory in the war against illegal mining. The verdict, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, also remanded Usman in prison to face 31 other charges related to terrorism and illegal mining activities.
Dr. Alake commended the judiciary for supporting the ministry’s efforts to crush illegal mining, stating that the verdict has finally established that bandits engage in illegal mining to fund their operations. The ministry will monitor the proceedings of the remaining 31 cases of terrorism against the Ansaru commanders, noting that regulators of the mining sector have a lot to learn from these cases to improve their capacity to counter illegal mining.
The minister praised the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) for their role in monitoring, detecting, and arresting terrorists to face the law. “We shall increase inter-agency collaboration to raise the tempo of surveillance to rid our communities of illegal mining perpetrated by bandits,” Dr. Alake stated.
The Ansaru group, translated as the Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa, is facing court charges for attacking the Nigerian Army Wawa Cantonment and raiding Kuje Prisons, Abuja in 2022, among other terrorist activities. Dr. Alake expressed satisfaction that the judiciary is aligned with the ministry’s objective of zero tolerance for illegal mining, warning that further tightening of the noose around illegalities in mining continues with more drastic measures to be announced shortly.
Recall that Dr. Alake set up the Mining Marshals in 2024 to combat illegal mining and improve the security of the sector. This initiative underscores the ministry’s commitment to tackling the menace of illegal mining, which has been linked to funding terrorist activities in the country. The conviction of Mahmud Usman serves as a deterrent to others involved in similar activities, and the ministry’s efforts are expected to have a lasting impact on the solid minerals sector.
