Owolabi Salis, a chartered accountant and attorney in New York, has pushed the Federal Government to take more serious action against the nation’s unlawful mining operations.

He claimed that a large number of Nigerians are unaware that between 60% and 65% of the country’s instability is caused by illegal miners, particularly foreigners working with some unscrupulous actors.

In an interview with reporters, Salis claimed that these illegal miners frequently incite, finance, and plan conflicts among communities in order to drive people off their property and grant them unauthorised access to natural resources.

He said, “Nigeria is losing billions of dollars because the mining industry is being neglected by the government.” The mining sector is plagued by a number of issues, two of which are illicit mining and the smuggling of valuable jewels, aquatic animals, wild animals and others out of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is losing billions of dollars every year due to our negligence in the mining sector. The authority has not controlled the issue of mining, which is also creating a security threat.

“Most of these illegal miners operate without government’s approval and they are masterminded by foreigners in collaboration with local lords.

“The foreign illegal miners are the ones funding insurgency to displace people from their communities, to gain access to carry out the illegal mining. They will invade the village to displace innocent people, especially where they discover valuables and raw materials. All these international criminals are at the forefront and the Nigerian authority does not pay attention to it.”

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“This would teach and enlighten younger Nigerians about the gains in the mining sector,” he said, pleading with the government to include mining in the country’s curriculum.

Additionally, he declared: “Mining education ought to be implemented in elementary, secondary, and university institutions.”