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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has disclosed that its Mining Marshals have arrested no fewer than 671 suspected illegal miners, with 397 already charged before the Federal High Court, while several convictions have been secured as part of the Federal Government’s intensified crackdown on illegal mining.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja while representing the Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, at the Stakeholders’ Workshop on Extractive Industries Governance organised by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering.
According to him, the Mining Marshals, established by the Federal Government in 2024, have disrupted numerous illegal mining sites across the country, shut down illegal operations, seized mining equipment and restored several mining locations to their legitimate licence holders.
He attributed the successes to the professionalism of the Mining Marshals, robust inter-agency collaboration and sustained support from the Federal Government.
Onoja revealed that the renewed enforcement efforts have significantly improved compliance with mining regulations and contributed to increased government revenue from the solid minerals sector.
Quoting the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), he said revenue from the mining sector rose by 337 per cent between 2023 and 2026, increasing from about ₦6 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion by June 2026. He noted that the figures corroborate earlier reports crediting the Federal Government’s mining reforms for attracting investments and boosting earnings.
The Mining Marshals Commander commended the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, for championing reforms in the sector, describing his appointment as a watershed moment for Nigeria’s mining industry. He also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Nigerian military for providing operational assistance during enforcement activities.
Onoja reserved special commendation for the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, describing his leadership as the driving force behind the remarkable successes recorded by the Mining Marshals since their inauguration. He said the Commandant-General’s unwavering commitment, strategic foresight and institutional support have transformed the special squad into a formidable force against illegal mining across the country.
Speaking at the workshop, the President of the Nigeria Union of Mines Workers, Hamza Muhammad, urged the Federal Government to enforce local processing of minerals before export, arguing that value addition would create jobs, accelerate industrialisation and enable Nigeria to derive greater economic benefits from its abundant mineral resources.
Also, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), represented by Fatima Usman-Katsina, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development through a joint technical working group aimed at improving traceability, accountability and coordination across the mining value chain.
Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, represented by the House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said the workshop was convened to generate practical solutions to illegal mining, insecurity and illicit financial flows. He reiterated the commitment of the House to strengthening the country’s legal framework to reform the mining sector, improve governance and attract responsible investment.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, Hon. Sanni Abdulraheem, called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, regulatory institutions, mining operators and host communities. He assured participants that the committee’s recommendations would focus on legislative and policy reforms to strengthen governance, curb illegal mining and safeguard Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Despite the achievements recorded by the Mining Marshals, Onoja identified major challenges confronting the unit, including inadequate logistics, insufficient manpower and weapons, judicial delays, interference from vested interests and poor community cooperation.
He called for dedicated budgetary support, deployment of surveillance technology, establishment of a national mining intelligence situation room and the designation of special Federal High Court judges to expedite the prosecution of illegal mining cases.
According to him, addressing these challenges would further strengthen enforcement, enhance investor confidence and protect Nigeria’s mineral resources from criminal exploitation.
He reaffirmed the NSCDC’s commitment to safeguarding the nation’s extractive assets in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that a secure mining sector would translate into higher government revenue, increased employment opportunities and reduced funding for criminal activities.
