Nigeria to prosecute foreigners funding bandits

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on Thursday vowed that the Federal Government would prosecute foreign nationals funding bandits in the country.

Alake, who gave the warning in a statement issued in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, said any foreigner caught by security agents for such an act would be prosecuted for economic sabotage and war against the Nigerian state.

He said the warning followed preliminary reports on the funding of banditry by non-Nigerians in the mining industry.

READ ALSO: Drug barons funding Boko Haram insurgents, bandits in Nigeria – Lawan

The minister added that the warning was also in response to the alleged killing of 12 miners by bandits in the Ungwan-Magro community of Shiroro local government area of Niger State.

He urged embassies in Nigeria to monitor the activities of their nationals in the sector as allegations of criminal conduct could pose serious threats to bilateral relations between Nigeria and other countries.

Alake revealed that the federal government has banned mining in Shiroro LGA in a bid to fish out the perpetrators of the crime.

“Meanwhile, no form of mining will be allowed to occur at the scene of the attack until security agencies have concluded investigations into the attack,” he said.

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