The Nigerian Senate has alleged that retired military generals may be orchestrating illegal mining activities, which continue to hinder the country’s economic diversification efforts.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, raised the accusation during a budget presentation by Senator Sampson Ekong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, to the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

Oshiomhole expressed frustration over the Federal Government's lack of decisive action against illegal mining and urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle the issue with the same vigor used to combat illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.

“The ongoing illegal mining across the country is being carried out by retired generals, and we know them. They use helicopters to cart away gold, making billions of dollars, while the country suffers,” Oshiomhole alleged.

He further revealed that, during his tenure as APC National Chairman, he had alerted former President Muhammadu Buhari about the issue, citing reports of illegal miners arming local groups and using advanced equipment to exploit the country’s resources.

Oshiomhole called for the deployment of Joint Task Forces to curb illegal mining, emphasizing the availability of data and surveys pinpointing the hotspots.

Meanwhile, Senator Ekong presented the Solid Minerals Development Ministry's 2025 budget recommendations, proposing an increase from the N9 billion capital vote allocated by the executive to N539 billion. The recommendation underscores the sector's untapped potential to boost the economy.