Private Jet owners smuggle Gold outside Nigeria – Minister

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Uche Ogah, has revealed that private jet owners in Nigeria smuggle gold outside the country.

Ogah made this known during a public hearing which was presided by the Senate Committee on Solid Mineral Development and former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura. The hearing was intended to proffer solution to illegal mining in Nigeria.

“Gold smuggling in Nigeria are often done using private jets, the very reason private jets ownership and operations, need to be streamlined in the country “, he said .

According to him, illegal mining in Nigeria started far back in the early 1980s as a result of the indiginization policy of the military regime in the late 1970s.

The challenge, he explained, was prompted by the inability of indigenous workers to obtain mineral titles and required technology for mining used by the British miners before the indiginisation policy.

He lamented further that gold smuggling and illegal mining which are robbing the country of billions of dollars on yearly basis, thrive due to series of factors like connivance of security agencies with the offenders, host communities collaboration, low level of application of technology and negative mindsets of Nigerians to Nigeria.

“For these crimes to be fought decisively, potent punitive measure like capital punishment, need to be legally provided for.”

He, however, added that the menace can be tackled proactively through establishment of Mines Police, Special Court or Tribunals to try offenders, adequate funding for the ministry and positive mindsets of Nigerians to Nigeria.

“The main crux of the matter is for us to be Nigerian by seeing ourselves as Nigerians in all circumstances. Doing this, will make us see mineral resources in our communities as collective wealth of all Nigerians that must not be illegally explored by anybody within or from outside the country ” , he stressed.