The speaker of the house of representatives Hon Abba Tajudeen has expressed concern over the negative Impact of illegal mining on Security of the country.

The speaker who was represented by the majority leader Hon. Julius Inhovbere today at a public hearing on the need to investigate illegal mining in the Solid mineral sector noted that there is need to fish out sponsors of illegal mining activities which has resulted in increased insecurity, amounting to 80 percent mining activities in the North West carried out illegally.

Our correspondent Nathan Williams reports that earlier, the Chairman House committee on Solid Mineral Development Hon. Gaza Jonathan who expressed displeasure over the loss of revenue through unregulated mining activities in the country, emphasized that 7 billion naira is lost yearly to this illegal activities.

During the hearing, the representative of the Chief of Defense Staff, Air vice Marshal N.I Ilo suggested that there is need for the government to implement and enforce laws that will serve as deterrent to offenders while the representative of the Chief of Army Staff noted that from December till date, 387 individuals involved in illegal mining have been arrested from different States with FCT having the highest offenders of 276.

According to the Chairman of the committe, The leadership of the 10th House of Assembly has found it expedient and a sense of duty to carry out these investigative hearings to necessitate transparency and accountability, public participation, policy formation and identify challenges and solutions that will ultimately lead to the revamping of our solid mineral sector.