*Photo L-R: Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of MIREMCO , Lawal Umar Mayere and Acting Director, Kaduna Zonal Directorate of EFCC, Dr Benedict Ubi*
The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede has assured Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) of the Commission’s collaboration and partnership towards stemming the tide of illegal mining activities in the country.
He gave the assurance on Thursday, October 17, 2024, when the chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Committee, Lawal Umar Mayere led the members on a working visit to the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.
Olukoyede, who spoke through the Acting Director, Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Commission, Dr Benedict Ubi while expressing worry over the huge economic loss of the country as a result of illegal mining activities assured the Committee of Commission’s readiness to work with it and all meaningful stakeholders in the sector towards rooting out illegal mining activities in the country.
He urged members of the Committee to make the most of the Whistleblowing Policy of the federal government in assisting the EFCC make monetary asset recoveries in the sector.
Mayere who shared Olukoyede’s worry on the huge financial loss of the country as a result of illegal mining activities, added that illegal mining was equally claiming massive human casualties in the country. He disclosed that the Committee was motivated to seek EFCC’s collaboration, as a result of the Commission’s outstanding track records in dealing with issues of financial crimes and economic sabotage.
He identified evasion of royalties and taxes payments and non compliance to financial regulations governing mining activities in the country as areas requiring urgent EFCC’s attention.
