Nigerians seek an end to illegal mining by Chinese miners: Report
May 29, 2023
Abuja [Nigeria], May 29 : Many people across Nigeria protested against the illegal mining by Chinese miners in Lagos and Osun communities, reported Daily Trust.
Expressing their displeasure on Twitter, many Nigerians stated that Chinese miners have made themselves lords of the Nigerian natural resources. Nigerians are using #StopChineseIllegalMining to show their dissatisfaction.
They also called on the necessary government agencies to check the activities of the miners in the Lagos and Osun communities.
"Marching with pride to protect our soil and environment. Chinese illegal mining has gone too far, and it's time to put an end to it. Together, we can restore balance," a tweet said.
Meanwhile, another netizen tweeted, "Stand up for what's right! Chinese illegal mining is a threat to our ecosystem. Let's fight back and protect our environment for future generations."
"Nigeria won't tolerate the spoiling of our soil and environment by Chinese illegal mining. Join the march and let's fight for a sustainable future!" another tweet read.
According to the Daily Trust, the residents living in Osun communities earlier complained about the unlawful mining operations done by the Chinese which have continued to pose a tremendous risk.
Daily Trust is part of 'Media Trust' which is a privately held Nigerian newspaper publishing company based in Abuja.
In December 2020, residents of the Opa community in Osun accused a team of Chinese miners of environmental abuse and encroachment on their land.
The miners, who were allegedly looking for gold, had purchased a small portion of land near a stream from a local chief.
However, they later expanded their mining activities to other parts of the community, digging close to some houses and causing damage and flooding, according to a report on national dailies.
The residents said they tried to stop the miners but they were ignored and intimidated by armed policemen guarding the site.
Although the past Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, promised to regulate the activities of miners in the state in 2019, residents of the affected communities said it has not yielded much result, Daily Trust reported.
The plan was to register all miners operating in the state to prevent crime and environmental degradation.
Three years later, residents are still complaining about the illegal activities and the untold hardship it continued to heap on them.
