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.

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“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.

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“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.

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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.