The Times, a major British newspaper, revealed that Chinese mining personnel are funding terrorist organizations in order to obtain access to Nigeria’s mineral wealth in certain regions. The investigation, which was published on April 15, in the national newspaper, made the discovery. The Times claims that Chinese nationals are encouraging instability and terrorism through their corrupt business practices, lobbying efforts, and bribery. According to the report, Beijing may be indirectly financing terror in the country.
Also, some Chinese people working illegally as miners in Zamfara reportedly operate as smugglers for some terrorist organizations in the state and other areas in northwestern Nigeria. Constant negotiations between Chinese businesses and terrorists and outlaws were cited. There have been reports of corporations making security deals with rebels in areas where assaults are common. In recent years, attacks on China’s estimated 100,000-200,000 people living in Nigeria have been commonplace due to the country’s numerous conflicts.
Terrorists now have close relationships with some Chinese miners.
SBM Intelligence, an analytics firm based in Nigeria, provided research to The Times showing footage posted on social media, including WhatsApp, where militant commanders brag about their power and demand “rent” from Chinese workers who wish to operate in their territories. The northwest of Nigeria is now the most violent area of the country due to their takeover of large portions of the country. Researchers discovered that in one region of Zamfara, terrorists have such a close relationship with Chinese miners that they use militants as runners to control gold digging across the nation. The country is home to some of the world’s greatest gold reserves.
They operate informally in teams as contractors licensed to clearing-house businesses; they understand indigenous languages and may remain for years at a time in distant places that Western companies deem off-limits, and they do all of this without much oversight from the clearing-house companies. They are also frequently caught smuggling minerals out of the nation illegally. The research also emphasized that local workers in the mining industry were underpaid by Chinese contractors. They were also accused of maltreatment while paying extremely low wages.
Osun State and others take steps to curb illegal mining.
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had previously reported its findings in a two-part study on the operations of illegal gold mining in Osun and Ondo states. The investigations shed light on the detrimental effects of illicit mining on both the natural environment and community health. According to the reports, the native authorities and the traditional rulers were working together with the illegal miners to cover their tracks. In addition, the ICIR claimed that Kogi and Osun states had prohibited illegal mining operations on their respective borders.
Furthermore, the two state governors have re-affirmed their dedication to putting a stop to all unlawful mining in their jurisdictions while citing the detrimental consequences it has on locals’ quality of life. The governments of the two states issued an appeal to lawful miners, whose activities are believed to be contributing to environmental deterioration and water pollution in the states, to immediately stop their activities and work towards mitigating the effects of the situation on the environment.
Some perpetrators were apprehended in illegal processes.
Also, some Chinese nationals were arrested while attempting to smuggle mineral riches out of the country through unlawful ways. In 2020, Osun State apprehended 27 miners, 17 of whom were reportedly Chinese. In October of last year, 29-year-old Chinese national Gang Deng was sentenced to five years in prison after being found in possession of 25 tonnes of a mineral believed to be lepidolite, which contains lithium, a key ingredient in batteries. As another example of their involvement in the Boko Haram insurgency in northeast Nigeria, SBM discovered a case of a Chinese smuggler being paid to assist a jihadist group in smuggling metal ore out of the nation.
Related Link
SBMIntel: Website
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How Chinese are plundering Nigerian minerals – Chinese miners’ finances instability to extort mineral resources. – Express your point of view.
The Chinese are really plundering with our minerals. It is not their fault at all, it as a result of our own negligence at our mineral resources. We really need to do better.
The Chinese government should take greater responsibility for the activities of its companies operating abroad, including the lawful extraction of mineral reserves. Nigerian authorities have a critical role to play in regulating mining activities, bringing transparency to the sector and preventing the exploitation of their mineral resources. The successful management of Nigerian’s mineral resources could potentially create jobs and advance the country’s economic growth.
How Chinese are plundering Nigerian minerals. Government Should be in charge of all this things. But due to their failed ways of leadership give the room to Chinese to do anyhow.
Chinese are plundering our mineral resources this should not be allow this minerals resources are what will be useful for our country but we just neglect it that why other countries are plundering our resources
The resource that are been plundered by the Chinese are something the Nigeria government should have protected and capitalized on. These resources are rare and should be part of the country priority.
Our government should be on this case immediately and capture these criminals that are looting essential resources meant for the country, something we are meant to enjoy.
These crazy chinese individuals profit off of these local people with native tongues and may stay for years at a time in remote locations where modernized people are not in.
Mobsters who are stealing our country’s wealth, which we’re supposed to enjoy, need to be apprehended as soon as possible.
The efficient administration of the country’s treasure trove of minerals has the prospective to increase the country’s labour force and contribute to the expansion of its economy.
The Chinese nationals encouraging instability and terrorism through their corrupt business practices, lobbying efforts, and bribery is the reflection of what this Buhari led administration has turned the country to. If the necessary basic amenities and jobs opportunties are made available to the citizens and there are favourable government policies for businesses, it will reduce the rate of criminality and terrorism. The Chinese found culpable should be arrested and jailed because such can never be condone in their country.
This is a criminal offence. Everyone culpable should be arrested including the Chinese miners who support and sponsor criminal activities in an attempt to extort our God given mineral resource. Every act of terrorism in the north should be completely arrested. We are playing with fire that need to be quenched immediately.