He also stated that Nigerians were collaborating with their foreign elements to defraud the nation of it mining resources.

In a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Samuel Udoma, on Tuesday, the senator vowed to intensify investigations into the sector in the interest of the country.

Sampson, who is the Chairman, the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, said reviewing and streamlining mining activities would reposition the solid minerals sector.

The Senate had, through resolutions at plenary, late last year mandated the Solid Minerals Committee to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the dwindling revenue derivable from solid minerals development in the country, review activities of policy administrators, policy executors, and industry players, policy execution, and downstream, midstream and upstream operations of the solid minerals sector.

The committee was also mandated to ascertain the extent and impact of illegal mining activities and the extent of the complicity of both local and expatriate industry players as well as review all the Bureau of Public Enterprise privatisation or commercialisation programs of all mining and mineral resources related programs from 1999 – till date.

“The Senate condemned seriously the attitude of some Nigerians who collude with unscrupulous foreign elements to rip the country of its mineral wealth, without the corresponding accruals to national revenue.

“The Senate is also alarmed at the security problems posed by illegal mining in the country and has vowed to intensify investigations into the management of the sector, in the interest of the country.

“We will continue to intensify efforts aimed at reviewing and streamlining mining activities in order to reposition the solid minerals sector,” the statement said.

The committee chairman who lamented that the recent Ibadan explosion was caused by irresponsible and illegal mining behavior, said the disjointed mining operations have become a new cause of insecurity concerns in the country, with threats to loss of lives and property.

He pledged his committee’s resolve to stamp out illegal mining and look into the extant Mining Act, to review through proper legislation, in line with best practices.

Senator Sampson equally condemned the behavior of some industry players in the mining sector, who disregarded the committee’s invitations, with some even threatening legal actions, once they were invited for interactions.

He warned that the Senate would not be fettered in its investigations, despite petitions by some of these operators.

The Akwa Ibom South Senator also hinted at plans to hold regular roundtable discussions with relevant agencies, experts, industry players, artisanal miners, and other stakeholders to further compare notes on how best to reposition operations in the sector.

He stated this on Tuesday during his appearance on Channels Television Political Paradigm.

“The idea of you being a citizen is that you will give up your right to carry arms in so doing you give it to the and the state is to protect you. When they are not able to do that it is a serious situation and the only thing that can avert it is for us to have good leadership. If we continue this way, Nigerians should be allowed to defend themselves.”

Asked if Nigerians defending themselves means they should be allowed to carry arms, the lawmaker representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency replied, “Why not? You want to leave yourself to be killed? By so doing such a call is meant for the state to wake up.

He lamented that after some member of the National Assembly issued an ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari over insecurity few months ago, the situation has deteriorated rather than improve.

“Security situation has not improved until I am able to go from Abuja to Kaduna the way I used to. In my state the other day they kidnapped a former SSG and some students going back to the university, how can I say it has improved?”

Kidnapping and other violent crimes have become rife in many parts of Nigeria in recent times.

Last week, the US and Britain warned of possible terror attacks in Abuja, especially at government buildings, places of worship, schools and other centres where large crowds gather.

The Federal Government has since urged citizens to be calm and not panic as measures have been put in place to avert any attack.

Recall that the House of Representatives had on Wednesday inaugurated a 40-man committee to find a solution to the country’s security challenges, including but not limited to an insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, secessionist agitations in the South-East and Fulani-Herdsmen crises across the Middle-Belt and several South-West states.

The Committee is set to hold a four-day security summit in May.

But the lawmaker representing Jos South/Jos East Federal Constituency, Dachung Bagos, while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said impeachment processes will be initiated if the summit’s resolutions are not acted upon by the Executive.

“If the Executive had implemented 30 percent of the resolution and advice the National Assembly has been giving, I can assure you we couldn’t have reached this level,” he said.

Instead, he added, the insecurity issue has been politicised by the Executive.

He described the summit as a “last resort.”

“After this summit, if nothing is done – brainstorming, spending resources to bring out solutions – if the Executive does not do anything after some months, then definitely we will call for the resignation of the President.

“We have the power to impeach the President if he can no longer secure the lives and properties of Nigerians,” he said.

The lawmaker passed on at the age of 60 around 4 am on Friday.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kosofe Local Government Chairman, Taiwo Fadipe, who confirmed this report said Buraimoh died after a brief illness.

Fadipe said, “He died at a hospital around Ikorodu road. He died overnight.”

Another Confirming his death, Hon. Sanni Ganeey Okanlawon from Kosofe Constituency 1, wrote on Facebook “ONE DEATH TOO MANY, TUNDE BURAIMOH, Sun re o”. Until his death, Buraimoh was the Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on Information, Strategy and Security and a former chairman of Kosofe local government. Details shortly…

Before his death, Buraimoh as served at the Chairman of Kosofe Local Government between 1999 and 2002. He was also the Bamofin of Ketuland.

The lawmaker was Born September 30, 1960, studied law, and graduated in 1988 at Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye.

He was re-elected for a second term as a lawmaker on Saturday, March 9.

Eric Sparkes openly admitted that he cursed at state Rep. Erica Thomas for taking too many items into an express checkout lane. However, denied making the racially charged comment after showing up in the middle of a television news interview featuring Thomas outside the Atlanta-area Publix store where the confrontation occurred.

“Did I say that? Is it on video?” Sparkes asked Thomas in front of reporters, before admitting to calling her lazy.

“That’s all you said to me?” Thomas asked. “OK, because that makes you look better because everybody’s after you now.”

Sparkes later told WSB-TV he is a Democrat of Cuban descent and that Thomas’s allegations are politically motivated. Thomas said she will notify the police and will seek store video of the incident.

In a statement, Publix supermarket said it is “cooperating with local law enforcement as they look into the matter.”

In a tearful video Thomas posted to Facebook, she said she was with her young daughter in the market Friday and admitted to having more than 10 items in the supermarket’s express lane.

“I decided to go live because I’m very upset because people are getting really out of control with this, with this white privileg stuff,” she said. “I’m at the grocery and I’m in … the aisle that says ’10 Items or Less.’ Yes, I have 15 items, but I’m nine months pregnant and I can’t stand up for long. And this white man comes up to me and says, ‘You lazy son of a b—h… You need to go back where you came from.'”

The incident came days after United States President Donald Trump tweeted that four minority congresswomen should “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places” they came from and then “come back and show us how it is done.”