News

Oshiomole, Retired Generals Trade Tackles Over Illegal Mining

Published

10 months ago

January 25, 2025

A former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole, on Friday, accused some unnamed retired military generals of complicity in illegal mining activities going on across the country.

Oshiomole, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, made the allegation when the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, Sampson Ekong, submitted his report before the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

He lamented that steps being taken by President Bola Tinubu-led government to diversify the economy would remain a mirage if the incessant cases of illegal mining in the country were not addressed.

Oshiomhole, who is a member of the appropriation panel, said no amount of funds appropriated to the solid minerals sub-sector would achieve any meaningful results until illegal miners are taken out of business.

He said, “The ongoing illegal mining across the country is being carried out by retired generals and we know them. Yes, we know them. (There’s) nobody in Africa who doesn’t know them. I wrote a letter to former President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter when he was in office.

“This is because a team that I sent to go and conduct a primary election somewhere reported back to me, the challenge of conducting primary elections in Zamfara because of the illegal miners.The team told me that those illegal miners procure arms the same way the military is doing in South Sudan.

“Whereas the Federal Government is ruthless with people who are doing illegal oil bunkering by deploying the Joint Military Task Force to deal with them when it comes to illegal mining of solid minerals, the Federal Government changes. It’s like using different standards and I am very angry about that.

“If we have to fight this menace, we need to deploy the army even to kill anyone who is involved in the illegal pumping of oil. We should also deploy JTFs, comprising the Army, Police, and Air Force, against them.”

Oshiomhole added that those behind illegal miners equip their men to perpetrate the crime against the Nigerian state.

“They give them arms. They use choppers to come and cart away the gold and they take them out of this country and make billions of US dollars.

“Unfortunately, the Federal Government is not doing what it should be doing. I took this letter to the former president, when I was the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress and I said, call the general to give you more briefing.

“What is happening or what is supposed to happen in that part of the country was exactly what the general told me was going to happen,” he added.

He continued, “These guys have been weaponised by the illegal big men who deployed a secure territory. The weaponry was made to protect the Chinese and other foreigners and that’s why they are going to carry out the mining. Retired military officers, and army officers, are involved in it.

“My position is that we shouldn’t be lamenting. We should fix the problem. We should tell the executive. You must deploy the same force that you deployed against illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.

“That same force should be deployed to deal with criminals who have money. When I say criminal, it can be a retired general, it can be a retired permanent secretary, it can be a retired trade unionist or a retired labour leader.”

The panel agreed with Oshiomhole’s submissions and urged the various security agencies to swing into action and bring the matter under control.

However, some retired military generals kicked against Oshiomole’s allegation, describing it as baseless and a deliberate attempt to tarnish their reputation.

Speaking with The PUNCH, a former Commander of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. John Sura (retd.), described Oshiomole’s statement as the highest level of falsehood that anybody can ever peddle.

He stated that no retired general would engage in any activity that undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty, emphasising their commitment to national unity and development.

“As a retired general, your priority is Nigeria. Mining is not meant for just an ordinary person who does not have the resources and licenses to engage in it. Therefore, any allegation that any person is bringing up is just a falsehood and just to paint a dog black in order to kill it,” he said.

Sura argued that most retired generals, aside from those involved in politics, lived a quiet life, relying on their pensions and taking care of their families.

He condemned the allegations as “the highest level of disrespect to the esteemed nature of a general,” adding that both serving and retired officers are trained to prioritise Nigeria’s economic and political stability over personal gains.”

Similarly, Gen. Bashir Adewinbi (retd.) rejected Oshiomole’s claim, stating that he was unaware of any retired general involved in illegal mining.

“As far as I am concerned, I am not aware of any retired general behind illegal mining in Nigeria. There is no reason for that. That is misinformation,” he said.

News

FG Partners Transport Workers, Cattle Breeders To Curb Waybill, Arms Proliferation In Northeast

Published

3 hours ago

November 14, 2025

Editor

The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Northeast Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to President Bola Tinubu has partnered with road transport workers and cattle breeders to curb waybill and proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in Northeastern states of Nigeria.

Speaking during an engagement with officials of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Borno Express, Maiduguri, Maj-:Gen Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), the Northeast Zonal Director of NCCSALW, reiterated the commitment of the centre to curb the menace of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the state.

He explained to the stakeholders that trafficking of these small arms and light weapons through motor parks and public transport services in concealed waybills or personal luggage is an issue of interest to the Centre.

While highlighting the key roles that transport unions and motor parks managers could implement to ensure an arms free society, the Zonal Director urged the stakeholders to take ownership of their communities and adopt a community-based approach.

He called on them to collaborate with the Centre and support efforts geared towards sensitizing the public on dangers of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.

“This engagement aligns with broader NCCSALW objectives and underscores the North East Zonal Centre’s commitment to work harmoniously with stakeholders to strengthen Borno State’s security posture,” he said.

In their separate reactions, Abba Shuwa Baba, Chairman of NURTW, Abba Jiddah Bishara, Chairman of NARTO and Saminu Yakubu, Manager of Borno Express all expressed readiness to collaborate with the Centre and pledged their support.

The interactive session provided an insight on the stakeholders’ commendable efforts and achievements such as the arrest of several arms couriers in their respective motor parks and terminals.

However, they expressed concern over lack of accountability and transparency in the prosecution of suspects by authorities, alleging that most of the people apprehended with arms and ammunition in the motor parks are serving military and security personnel.

They also expressed frustration over the lack of feedback from authorities on disciplinary action taken against those arrested.

Additionally, it was observed during the engagement that the spring up of illegal motor parks outside government approved locations pose a serious security challenge which aids the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the state.

There was consensus amongst the stakeholders on the need for the government to enhance security presence in motor parks and close all illegal motor parks just as the call for feedback on reported cases to motivate the stakeholders was amplified.

Similarly, the Centre visited the International Cattle Market in Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe state where it held a stakeholder sensitization meeting with the State Chairman, Amalgamated Cattle breeders Association of Nigeria, the representative of the Emir of Fika and Mai Patiskum in charge of livestock, Miyetti Allah officials, amongst others.

The meeting focused on identifying practical strategies to mitigate the proliferation of SALW in Yobe State. This engagement aligns with the Centre’s mandate to promote community-level security collaboration and reinforces the Centre’s commitment to work closely with local stakeholders.

The Northeast Zonal Director urged market leaders and traditional ruler to take ownership of community safety efforts, emphasizing a community-based approach to combating arms proliferation in Northeast.

In their responses, the State Chairman of the Amalgamated Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Hamza Nguru and the Executive Chairman of Potiskum LGA, Hon. Ado Gojun, appreciated the Centre’s outreach efforts to the grassroots communities and pledged continued partnership and support and requested more frequent engagements with the Centre.

The Centre also paid a working visit to Brig:-Gen D. Abdussalam, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Executive Governor of Yobe State.

News

Why U.S. Military Intervention In Nigeria Will Be Messy, Says Adeyemi

Published

5 hours ago

November 14, 2025

Editor

The Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Oregun, Lagos, Dr Sam Adeyemi has disclosed why the American government is coming to Nigeria to fight insecurity.

He said that some Nigerians that experienced the pain of killings reached out to members of the U.S. government that they are being killed for reason of their faith and the U.S. government responded based on the value they placed on human lives that all men are created equally and that everyone has the right to life.

Adeyemi made this known while fielding questions from journalists yesterday at a press conference held in his church in Oregun to announce the 30th anniversary of Daystar Christian Centre, themed: “A Mosaic of Changed Lives.”

The cleric who spoke in company of his wife, and co- founder/Deputy Senior Pastor, Dr Mrs Nike Adeyemi and other church leaders, said the reason God planted the church was to raise role models in the society and it started when Nigeria was in turbulent season Adeyemi said, “If America intervenes, it will be messy. That’s the truth”.

Some of people that support the killing of Christians are powerful. Some of them are at the highest level of government and wealthy.

America will be just throw a bomb and go away; it is going to be messy. At the end of everything, they will go and we will still have to sit down and have a discussion. That discussion is what I have been calling for.

“The fact that Christians have been killed in our country in large numbers cannot be contested because the evidence is everywhere. It is on the internet. The pictures and numbers are there. So we should not argue over words. Should we call it genocide or should we not call it genocide, it does not reduce the impact of the loss of lives especially to the members of the families of those who have been killed. Some of them in very gruesome manners. We should not be so insensitive as to be arguing over semantics.

“This is human lives and many of them well documented. The question is why is America getting involved, America is getting involved because some Nigerians that have experienced the pain reached out to members of the U.S. government that “we are been killed for our faith. The U.S. government responded because of the stated values of the United States.

“In declaration of the independence of the United States, it is written, ‘we adjudge this truth to be self confident that all men are created equally and everyone have a right to life’. So they took these issues up because there is value for human lives. We should ask ourselves, do we value human lives in our country? Why should people be killed like that? That takes us to the bigger picture, the fact that people are been killed in our country everyday for reasons they should not die.

“There are many people today who can’t go to their home town because of the fear of kidnappers. We cannot contest the fact that some of the people doing the killing of Christian are some people that belong to some strange sect of the Islamic faith. They see it as the will of God to kill infidels. Many of us also have related and lived with Muslims. I spent the first 10 years of my life in Niger State. I did my national youth service in Kano State. We know that the majority of Muslims are honest people. What we need in our country is conversation.”

Expressing his gratitude to God, Adeyemi said, “A Mosaic of Changed Lives, Celebrating 30 years of raising role models” captures both gratitude and vision, it reminds us that when you build people, you build a future through platforms such as the Daystar Leadership Academy with an alumni of over 55, 000 people who have been trained to lead with integrity and excellence across business, government and non-profit sectors. Through the Daystar Skills Acquisition Programme, we have empowered tens of thousands of people in diverse vocational skills. We also have the Daystar Business Academy started about 20 years ago where Entrepreneurial class every Sunday morning to empower the people. The products of that class are multi-millionaire and billionaires entrepreneurs. The next 30 years will centre on digital discipleship, leadership incubation and global transformation. As part of this celebration, we invite you to join us on Saturday November 15, 2025 for a special anniversary service at 10a.m.

On why God planted the church, Adeyemi said, “Three decades of transformational ministry: The vision is to raise role models in the society. When this journey began 30 years ago, our nation was weary. It was a turbulent season for our nation, there were protests, we prayed like never before because our country was tethering at the edge of cleave.

Deputy senior Pastor at Daystar Christian Center, Dr Nike Adeyemi said, “The story of DayStar is really the story of grace. Grace that transforms ordinary people into extra ordinary testimonies. Every changed life you have ever seen connected to DayStar is a chapter of that story. For 30 years we have witnessed how love and consistent teaching can heal, restore and awaking the sense of purpose. Our focus has always been on building people from the inside out spiritually, emotionally and mentally. As we celebrate our 30th year anniversary, we invite everyone whose life have been touched by DayStar to come and share the transformation story.”

News

Libya Deports 80 Nigerians Over Illegal Stay

Published

5 hours ago

November 14, 2025

Editor

Libyan authorities have deported 80 Nigerian migrants being held in various detention centres across the country as part of ongoing efforts to curb irregular migration and decongest holding facilities.

The Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM), in collaboration with the Nigerian Consulate in Tripoli, coordinated the repatriation exercise through Mitiga International Airport on Wednesday.

According to Migrant Rescue Watch, a group monitoring migrant welfare and human rights in Libya, the deportation followed judicial directives issued by the Libyan Judicial Police.

In a statement posted on X, the organisation said, “Judicial Police Dept. on orders of Public Prosecutor’s Office transferred a group of undocumented migrant females of Nigerian nationality to DCIM custody in Tripoli. All females were served with judicial deportation order and are awaiting deportation.”

It added that the latest batch of returnees included migrants previously transferred under judicial orders.

“#Libya 11.11.25 – DCIM with Nigerian consular support, repatriated 80 migrants of Nigerian nationality via Mitiga Int. Airport in Tripoli. The group includes migrants transferred by the Judicial Police who were served with judicial deportation order,” the statement read.

The development comes amid renewed efforts by Libyan authorities, in partnership with diplomatic missions, to regulate the presence of undocumented migrants and address concerns over overcrowding and human rights conditions in detention facilities.