President Bola Tinubu says he has directed security agencies in the country to intensify efforts at cracking down illegal miners across the country.
Tinubu disclosed this while speaking at
a meeting with participants of the National Defence Academy Course 32 in Abuja.
Moving forward , Tinubu said all efforts would be geared towards the diversification of the economy.
He promised that the safety of Nigerians will be accorded priority in any any community where mining activities are taking place.
“I recognise the need for the diversification of the economy, and we have been pushing hard on this.
“Your involvement will equally promote a better understanding of the issues.
“We have challenges of scavengers and exploiters around the country.
“We must nip that in the bud, and you military officers understand this better than the civil society.
“We expect that through your command, we will have more resources that we need to make sure we have a stable economic environment,” the President said.
The 111 participants of Nigeria Defence College Course 32 were drawn from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as 19 international participants from Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.
The college undertakes in-depth studies on all factors that affect national security and development.
The research centre in the college, known as the Centre for Strategic Research and Studies, is also designated as the ECOWAS training Centre of Excellence for Peace Support Operations at the strategic level.
In his remarks, the commandant of the NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the institution had graduated 2,871 participants since inception.
He said besides participants from 30 African countries, the college had participants from Bangladesh, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
Olotu said the college had embarked on infrastructural upgrades in order to make it compete favourably with any other defence college in the world. (vitalnewsngr.com)
