President Bola Tinubu has stated that foreigners pump a lot of money to fund illegal mining and terrorism across Africa.
The President sought the commitment of the international community to help the continent win the ongoing war against the menaces.
He stressed the need for African countries to strengthen regional cooperation and institution-building to address the evolving threat of terrorism on the continent.
According to him, terrorism poses a significant threat to peace, security, and development in the continent.
President Tinubu spoke yesterday in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a two-day African High-Level Meeting on Counter-Terrorism, with the theme: Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address Evolving Threats of Terrorism, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and UN Office for Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
He said: “While we seek to address the root causes of terrorism, we must also attack the roots that feed this evil branch. Evolving from the tactics of yesterday, terrorism is becoming a greater threat as it perfects ways to continuously finance, re-equip, and re-supply itself for its sinister mission.
“Not only does it kidnap people, it kidnaps precious resources. Billions upon billions of dollars that legitimate governments should be using to sculpt better societies by providing education, health care, and food for its people now go to pay for weapons and mayhem.
“Look at the illegal mining that plagues so many of our nations today. Those who think illegal mining has no connection with financing terrorism are sorely mistaken. The international community has both the moral and legal obligation to help in this cause because it is outside money, not African money, that fuels the illegal operations.
“We shall be knocking on this door of the international community to answer this call for justice, peace, and fair play.”
