Blackmail Won’t Derail Crackdown on Illegal Mining — Dele Alake
Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, has affirmed that the Federal Government will not be deterred by blackmail or media smear campaigns in its ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and enhance security within the sector.
Speaking at a recent forum, Alake stressed that the most pressing challenges facing Nigeria’s mining industry are not administrative but external — orchestrated by individuals who profit from illicit operations.
He noted that the government’s reforms, particularly the deployment of Mine Marshals, have rattled entrenched interests who have now resorted to slander and disinformation.
“The challenges we face are not internal bureaucracy but external sabotage,” Alake said.
“On the security front, our efforts to curtail illegal mining are being met with fierce resistance from those whose livelihoods depend on these unlawful activities.”
According to him, some operators have attempted to undermine the credibility of the Mine Marshals by accusing them of bribery — claims that remain unsubstantiated.
“In one case, someone claimed the leader of the Mine Marshals had demanded and received a bribe. I asked for proof. He promised to bring it the next day. That was six months ago — I’m still waiting,” Alake recounted.
He added that the smear campaign has even seeped into the media, revealing that a television station was recently forced to issue a public apology after broadcasting unfounded allegations.
“The Marshal in question told me a media outlet had blackmailed him. I asked, ‘Did you do it?’ He said no. I advised him to sue. He did — and within 48 hours, the same outlet aired a public apology. They had been paid to do a hatchet job,” he said.
Alake decried the lack of balanced reporting in sections of the media, which, he noted, reflects a broader decline in journalistic standards.
Despite the pushback, the minister emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to its reforms, drawing strength from President Bola Tinubu’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and impunity.
“Our hands are firmly on the plough — and there’s no turning back,” he declared.
“Unless I see clear, verifiable evidence of misconduct, no one will be removed from the Mine Marshals. I do not yield to blackmail, and no amount of inducement will sway me. We are confronting these challenges head-on.”