President Muhammadu Buhari has said the surge in criminality in the country, is affecting the performance of his administration. He however, assured Nigerians that his administration is now determined more than ever, to halt all forms of criminality being perpetuated by bandits, kidnappers, insurgents and other criminal elements that have been threatening the corporate existence of the country.
He gave the assurance on Tuesday when he declared open, the 56th annual international conference and exhibitions, organised by the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
Buhari, who was represented by Minister of State for Mining and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah, noted that the country is “currently battling various forms of security challenges and working relentlessly in providing innovative solutions to the myriads of challenges that are confronting the citizens. A few of our people had resorted to breaking the law and outright criminality by engaging in banditry and all sorts of illegal activities.
“These nefarious activities have serious implications for the various reform agenda this administration has embarked upon in the mineral, energy and agricultural sectors. It is difficult to achieve any meaningful development in any environment plagued with security challenges.
“The reality of this truth is most obvious in the minerals sector given the fact that mining activities take place in remote localities. Our intelligence gathering efforts has confirmed that most of these criminal elements have infiltrated the mining industry and are using it as means of funding their despicable activities. It is with this understanding that we recently took the painful but necessary decision of banning all forms of mining activities in Zamfara State, where armed banditry has persisted.
“It is also to this end that I directed the Ministers of Mines and Steel Development to strengthen collaboration with state governments and relevant security agencies to ensure the security and safety of all mining areas. In so doing, we can achieve sustainable development of the minerals sector for the peace and security of our great country and good people.
“It is in furtherance of our commitment and resolve to address the security challenges that I recently charged the newly decorated Service Chiefs that they have just few weeks to crush all forms of criminality in the country. We cannot yield the sovereignty of our nation to a bunch of individuals who have refused to see reasons to abandon their criminality.
“The Security Chiefs have been mandated to forcefully bring this criminality to an immediate end. Let me reiterate that the government is more than capable and more than ever determined to halt all forms of criminality perpetuated by these individuals.”