Cost of Reform: Alake details death threats after mining licence crackdown

By: Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, says he has tripled his personal security following a series of death threats linked to the Federal Government’s revocation of dormant mining licences.

At a pre-event press briefing for the Nigeria Mining Week on Friday, October 10, 2025, Alake revealed that he began receiving threatening messages after the ministry intensified enforcement of mining regulations, targeting individuals and firms that failed to meet legal and operational requirements.

“I have had to triple my personal security because I’ve received several threats from those whose licences were revoked for one infraction or another. One even sent me a direct text message,” Alake disclosed on Friday during the briefing ahead of the 10th Nigeria Mining Week, scheduled for October 13–15, 2025, in Abuja.

The minister stated that the threats originated from powerful groups resisting reforms aimed at reforming the mining sector after years of neglect. According to him, those affected have launched media attacks and spread false allegations to discredit the ministry’s actions.

“They’ve used all sorts of tactics to make us reverse our decisions. But we are battle-hardened, and we will not retreat,” he said.

Standard Times Nigeria reports that the mining sector has experienced significant reforms under Alake’s leadership. The ministry has revoked 3,794 mining titles, including 1,263 mineral licences cancelled in the past two years. The move, he said, is part of efforts to restore transparency, order, and accountability in the sector.

He explained that many licence holders had retained their titles for over a decade without paying statutory fees or engaging in any exploration activities.

However, the minister’s expanded security detail appears to conflict with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, which limits ministers to a maximum of five security personnel and three vehicles as part of the administration’s cost-cutting measures.

The upcoming mining conference, themed “Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance,” will bring together policymakers, investors, and stakeholders to evaluate the nation’s progress and opportunities in the solid minerals industry.