FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE CRACKDOWN ON OIL, GOLD SMUGGLERS

‎In the same vain, the National Economic Council, NEC, on Thursday
said it would begin a crackdown on illegal gold miners as part of a
broader strategy to safeguard Nigeria’s natural resources and boost
government revenue.
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‎The move follows the Council’s decision to expand the mandate of its
Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control, chaired
by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, to include the fight against
illegal mining and mineral smuggling.
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‎Briefing State House correspondents after the 153rd NEC meeting
chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, Uzodinma said the expanded terms of reference reflect
government’s resolve to close off revenue leakages from solid
minerals.
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He added that the committee would work closely with the Ministry of
Solid Minerals Development, the Nigeria Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative, and security agencies to curb gold smuggling,
unregulated quarrying, and illicit mineral exports.
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‎The ad-hoc committee was originally established under former
President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2022 to combat crude oil
theft and pipeline vandalism that had crippled national production and
forced international oil companies to shut down key pipelines.
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‎When President Bola Tinubu reconstituted the committee in December
2023, daily oil production had dropped to between 700,000 and
800,000 barrels per day, below the country’s OPEC quota, leading to
major foreign exchange shortfalls.
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‎Nigeria’s illegal mining sector is a multibillion-naira shadow economy,
particularly in gold, lithium, and other high-value minerals.