Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has acknowledged that he has been the target of death threats due to his remarks regarding banditry linked to illicit mining in Nigeria.
During a Monday visit to the explosion site in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, he verified this.
Last Tuesday, an explosion occurred on Adeyi Avenue in Bodija, Ibadan. 58 houses were damaged, 77 people were injured in varying degrees, and five people were confirmed dead.
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Alake claimed that he has been receiving threats to his life ever since he made remarks at the National Assembly regarding the involvement of influential and well-placed Nigerians in illicit mining.
In defense of the budget in the House of Representatives or Senate, the minister declared, “I did say categorically to the whole world that powerful Nigerians are behind the banditry associated with illegal miners in this country,” according to the transcript.
Since these things must be said, we are unfazed by the threats I received for saying it aloud. Besides, most people already knew what I was saying, so I wasn’t saying anything new.
“I only officially validated what many others had been saying based on intelligence reports. Thus, there is a great deal of collusion between the upper, middle, and lower classes in society.
It’s not a place reserved exclusively for tall huts. It cuts through all social classes. This is a social issue, and I did mention in that budgetary defense meeting that we were utilizing a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies and tactics. I am unable to disclose the specifics to the public at this time since doing so would be counterproductive.
However, he asserted that in order to stop the illegal miners’ operations, the federal government was coordinating with all relevant state, local, and host community authorities.
Speaking out against the Ibadan explosion, Alake stated, “Until we have examined all the forensic analyses reports, all the investigations from all the security agencies, the mines inspectorate division of the ministry of solid minerals, and intelligence arms of the various agencies before any pronouncement before any pronouncement,” it would be presumptuous and precipitate for the government to make any solid or definite pronouncement on the incident.
“They are all working nonstop to make sure the government receives a legitimate and highly effective forensic report. Anything prior to this will be assuming, hasty, and possibly deceptive in the end. Only after this will the government be in a position to make a well-informed decision and a definitive statement.