By Agbonkhese Oboh

A report, ‘Silent Conquest: The Chinese Infiltration of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Sector’, launched by rights group, Renevlyn Development Initiative, RDI, has established a link between illegal mining in some Nigerian communities to terrorism.

Speaking at the launch on Thursday, Philip Jakpor, the Executive Director of RDI said the report was influenced by their work in host communities across Nigeria where sold mineral is mined.

“In the communities we have visited either in Zamfara or Nasarawa, Niger or even Cross River, we have observed a common pattern.

“Our natural resources are being extracted and carted away without recourse to the people and environment, and the gaps in monitoring and regulation of the solid minerals sector makes us feel our government institutions are surrendering to foreign interests.

“Disturbingly, we have seen some security agencies fighting each other to protect the illegal miners and the report also draws a nexus between illegal mining and terrorism currently ravaging the northern part of the country.

“Our findings further show that the invasion of our country, which most Nigerians fear, has already happened and it is the Chinese that have invaded all the spaces where solid minerals like gold and transition minerals like lithium are found.

“From Nasarawa to Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, Ogun and Abia to Akwa Ibom the story is the same. Not only has the sector been captured, the players are not ready to play by our rules,” Philip Jakpor said.

The 29-page report was reviewed at the launch by Jimoh Babatunde, Vanguard Editorial Board member.

The launch, moderated by Vanessa Adie, a media strategist, was attended by Sam Orovwuje, writer and social entrepreneur, and journalists from across traditional and digital media, and rights groups.

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy; Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP; Pan African Vision for the Environment, PAVE; Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN; Peace and Development Projects, PEDEP, and Community Development Advocacy Foundation, CODAF, were also present.

Recommendations

The report recommends criminalisation of illegal mining as economic sabotage, strengthening and modernising the legal framework, and tightening scrutiny of foreign operators.

The RDI report also recommended that the EFCC be adequately funded and provided with the necessary technologies to carry out its enforcement functions; reform visa issuance for foreign mining workers, and holding polluters to account.