The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised serious allegations against some traditional rulers, accusing them of colluding with illegal miners, despite the detrimental effects on their communities and the country as a whole.
EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, made this revelation on Tuesday during the two-day first International Anti-Corruption and Climate Change Conference in Abuja. The event was organized by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) in collaboration with Hawkmoth and supported by the MacArthur Foundation.
Olukoyede warned that the environmental degradation caused by illegal mining could become more severe than the damage from oil and gas exploration in just five years. He emphasized the significant environmental harm being inflicted, not only by foreign actors but also by local communities, often with the support of their traditional leaders.
In addition, Olukoyede highlighted the severe environmental damage in the Niger Delta, noting that corruption, rather than natural causes, is the primary driver behind the region’s oil spills, pollution, and ecosystem destruction. He stressed that corruption is at the root of these environmental crises, linking it directly to the broader issue of climatic disruptions.
