Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake, on Thursday, has called on the youths of Kogi State to consult and convince elders, community leaders and local authorities to stop covering up illegal miners to reduce the damage they are inflicting on the environment.

Youths from coal-producing communities in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State have protested at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Abuja over alleged illegal coal mining activities in their communities.

The protesters, under the aegis of Concerned Kogi Youths Against Environmental Degradation, accused mining operators in Kogi East of violating environmental and regulatory standards, allegedly leaving communities with damaged roads, destroyed farmlands, polluted water sources and worsening living conditions.

Addressing the protesters, Alake thanked them for joining the government’s campaign against illegal mining and urged them to engage traditional rulers, community leaders and local authorities to stop shielding illegal miners.

The Minister who was represented, Director of Special Duties, Engr. Frank Odom, said Kogi State has been of particular concern to the Ministry, recalling that the first operation of the Mining Marshal was the dislodgement of illegal mines from the area covered by licence 19325, belonging to the North-South Extractive Industries, in Yagba East Local Government of Kogi State.

He said: “The Marshals have aided many companies to expel illegal miners and prosecute them. Between March, 2024 and August, 2026, the Mining Marshals identified 374 illegal mining sites. To date, 108 of such sites have been cleared. We have arrested 743 suspects; we are prosecuting 165 cases involving 430 accused persons. So far, we have secured five convictions.”

Noting that several committees headed by the ministry’s permanent secretaries have visited Kogi State to probe similar complaints, the Minister said investigations have revealed that illegal miners are not aliens but indigenes involved in illegitimate livelihood with the support of elders, traditional rulers and local government functionaries.

He added, “Their illegal activities are killing the mining companies. In the coal fields, they are stealing the minerals of mining companies which have paid money to obtain licences and will still pay royalties for the minerals extracted. Illegal miners don’t pay for licences. They don’t pay royalties. They enrich themselves at the expense of the Nigerian people.

“This ministry has a message for them and their collaborators: time is running out. With the ongoing deployment of technology and the consolidation of the mining marshals, very soon there will be no hiding place for these criminals.

“If, as you claim, you are Kogi youths, take this message to the stakeholders in your communities. Consult your elders. Convince community leaders and local authorities to back off and allow the machinery of enforcement to work diligently and effectively to combat illegal mining and stop the reckless degradation of our environment.”

The Minister was represented at the meeting by the Director, Mining Inspectorate, Engr. Imam Ganiyu; Director, Mining Environmental Compliance, Dr Vivian Okono; Director, Special Duties, Engr. Frank Odom; Director, Human Resources, Dr Ijeoma Idika; and Commander, Mining Marshals, John Attah Onoja.

Speaking earlier on behalf of the protesters, the Co-ordinator of the association, Comrade Isaiah Davies Ijele, said the protest was to draw the attention of the Minister to the environmental degradation occurring in the Kogi East senatorial district, particularly in the Ankpa and Omala communities.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the coordinator of the group, Comrade Isaiah Davies Ijele, said the protest was aimed at drawing the ministry’s attention to alleged environmental degradation in Kogi East, particularly Ankpa and Omala local government areas.

Ijele alleged that mining operations are being carried out in violation of environmental and regulatory standards,, leaving many communities with damaged roads, destroyed farmland, polluted water sources, and worsening living conditions.

He urged the Minister to order investigations into all mining activities in Ankpa and Omala local government areas, deploy the Mines Inspectorate and Mining Marshals to enforce the laws and seal any mining companies found to have violated the rules.

Ijele called for comprehensive investigations into mining activities in the affected communities and urged the ministry to deploy the Mines Inspectorate and Mining Marshals to enforce regulations and shut down companies found operating in breach of the law.

The protesters delivered a formal letter of their demands to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

Responding, Okono said the ministry, following the Minister’s directive, was compiling a list of mining companies allegedly defaulting on their Community Development Agreements.

She said the names of defaulting companies would be published and appropriate sanctions imposed.