The ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives investigating mining, security, and anti-corruption has stated that illegal mining is worsening insecurity, financial corruption, and reducing government revenue.
The committee chairman, Sani Abdulraheem, made this known at a stakeholder meeting on improving mining sector governance held in Abuja.
He said criminal syndicates are exploiting weak laws and inadequate monitoring to steal mineral resources, a situation that prevents Nigeria from benefiting from its vast wealth.
Abdulraheem said the committee has begun investigating the scale of illegal mining, the methods used to launder illicit funds, and the security situation in mining areas.
He also called on security agencies, anti-graft bodies, the mining ministry, state governments, and other stakeholders to collaborate in ending the problem, while assuring that the investigation would not prevent licensed miners from carrying out their legitimate operations.