Alake to security agencies: provide a work plan to secure mine sites in two weeks.

Alake to security agencies: provide a work plan to secure mine sites in two weeks.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake had told security agencies in the country that they have two weeks to provide a work plan for securing mining sites in the country.

He said the work plan should include the formation of whatever outfits would be proposed, the modalities, execution, funding, and all details associated with the security outfits that are proposed.

Alake said this yesterday in Abuja at a press briefing following the end of a security meeting held by the Minister and representatives of all the security agencies in the country.

He said the meeting was a result of the committee set up by the President to address issues surrounding the security of natural resources and to fashion out strategies to completely curb the menace.

He noted: “Now, the Committee set up the president to address issues surrounding the security of natural resources and to fashion out strategies to completely curb the menace that is making Nigeria bleed. After the meeting, the decision was to expand it to include the service chiefs and their representatives who form the critical security arms of the country.

“Following up on the first meeting that we had amongst the ministers. It was decided that we should expand the scope to incorporate the critical security agencies and that’s why the security agencies are here represented.

“All the critical stakeholders, security stakeholders that are relevant to this issue of securing Natural Resources are present here and we have deliberated exhaustively, like I said, and “It’s decided that the security agencies that constitute the experts in this particular venture should meet and give us a work plan of execution of that mandate, and what is the mandate?  To secure our natural resources, mineral sites, the forest and the marine economy and everyone agrees here.

“Now we’ll meet in a fortnight and deliberate on the work plan submitted by the security agencies and that work plan simply includes the formation of whatever outfits that we propose the modalities, execution, funding, and all details associated with the security outfits that we propose.

“I want to use this opportunity to let you know that what happened in the Ibadan, even though we’re expecting like I said in the Ibadan, the final forensic analysis report from the various security agencies, intelligence agencies, and the technical experts, even some from the Mines Inspectorate Division of this ministry of solid minerals.

“So we have the solid intelligence agencies working on unraveling the situation. And don’t forget that shrapnel or fragments, documents, and a lot of items constituting evidence were obtained from the site. And some of these things have to be scientifically analysed before an authentic report will be given. I did say at the time that the government would not be able to make a categorical statement until we have seen or received the report, studied, and come up with informed decisions.”