Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals, said he has received threats over the revocation of 1,263 mining licences for non-payment of annual fees
Alake explained that sanitising the mining sector is necessary and would naturally attract resistance from some quarters
As reported by The Punch, Alake disclosed this on Friday, October 10, at a pre-event press briefing ahead of the 10th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled to hold from Monday, October 13, to Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in Abuja.
The reported death threats came from individuals whose mining licences were revoked for failing to comply with government regulations.
Alake said: “In fact, I have had to triple my personal security because I’ve received several threats from those whose licences were revoked for one form of infraction or the other. One even sent me a text message threatening me directly.”
He added: “They have employed all sorts of tactics to make us reverse these decisions. But I told them, you can go and study my antecedents. We didn’t dance into this office; we fought battles to get here. We are battle-hardened and we will not retreat.”
Meanwhile, the revelation has elicited several reactions from Nigerians on X (formerly Twitter).
@Abujaclaga commented: ”
He needs spiritual security. This country no be clear eye.”
@Momopee2 said: “Wow. But why are people so lawless? How is the country suppose to make it when the people in every sector are always trying to cheat.”
Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed commented: “It’s quite unfortunate.”
@akanmugbenga1 wrote: “After revoking those licences, did they enforce it, there is a lot of illegal mining activities going on in the country and some of it have been fingered in the funding of insurgency. The govt should be tough on those funding illegal mining.”
@Simplytrendd said: “Those are the people giving arms to bandits to kill our people, NSA and the military must see the end of this militants.”
