Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of Economic Financial Corruption Commission, EFCC has stated that traditional leaders in certain parts of Nigeria are collaborating with illicit miners. At the first worldwide two-day conference on climate change and anti-corruption hosted by HEDA Resource centre , Olukoyede gave a speech on Wednesday in Abuja.
The MacArthur Foundation provided funding for the meeting, which was coordinated by the HEDA Resource Centre and Hawkmoth. The event’s theme was “National stakeholders’ engagement for accountability and transparency in addressing oil licensing for sustainable development, energy transition, and climate change.”
Olukoyede predicted that in five more years, unlawful mining would significantly worsen the damage that oil and gas exploration has done to the ecosystem.
“So let us begin to have that at the back of our minds. It (illegal mining) is a major problem that we are grappling with,” the EFCC chairman said.
“You need to see the pictures of some of the environmental damage that illegal mining is causing, not only from foreigners alone but particularly from our indigenous people in their environment.
“In some cases, supported by some traditional rulers.”
He also mentioned the environmental crisis in the Niger Delta
“The Niger Delta today is riddled with cases of oil spills, pollution, and damage to the ecosystem. This cannot be blamed on natural occurrences alone. Corruption is at the root of climatic disruptions,” he added.
Olukoyode continued by saying that solving the environmental and economic challenges requires responsibility and openness. In order to prevent corruption in the oil industry, he demanded that laws and regulations be strictly followed.
Human rights attorney Femi Falana also spoke, stating that the environment is deteriorating as a result of the government’s inability to control the activities of illegal miners.Falana asserted that there is a connection between illicit mining and other crimes, like terrorism.
“The environment is being degraded due to the failure of the government. Trees are felled without any replacement, and gold is taken out of the country,” he said.
“It is estimated that about $9 billion worth of gold is smuggled out of Nigeria yearly. Not by ordinary people, but by highly placed criminal elements, who even sometimes use private jets and helicopters.
“Right now, these illegal mining activities are also fuelling terrorism, because the terrorists also make a lot of money from mining to buy weapons.
“Because of corrupt practices, it has been difficult for the government to combat terrorism, to combat smuggling, to combat the degradation of the environment, and the pollution of the environment.
“And so, if you have officials of the government who have engaged in reckless corruption, there is no way you can address the challenges of climate change.”
The need for clean-ups in communities that have hosted mining activities as well as oil extraction was emphasised by Arigbabu Suleiman, executive secretary of HEDA Resource Centre.
“There is a need for clean-up in communities that have hosted oil extraction. For instance, there is a need for some remediation in communities that have hosted mega-dams because it also has serious environmental implications,” he said.
Suleiman said Nigeria needs huge investments in energy transition.
He warned against repeating the exploitation and mismanagement that plagued the oil sector, urging the government to focus on sustainable development that benefits all regions of the country.
