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The Commander, Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Assistant Commandant Corps (ACC) Attah John Onoja, has declared that the Federal Government is winning the war against illegal mining across the country.
Onoja said the number of arrests, prosecutions, recovery of illegal mining sites and revenue generated since the establishment of the Mining Marshals in 2024 were clear indications that the government was making significant progress in the fight against illegal mining.
Speaking at the 8th edition of the NSCDC Lagos Public Relations Clinic, organised in collaboration with Halogen Group, he, however, stressed that the government could not win the war alone, but required the collective efforts of security agencies, host communities, private companies and regulators.
He said: “The Nigeria’s fight against illegal mining will depend increasingly on cooperation among security agencies, host communities, private companies and regulators.”
Onoja said illegal mining had gone beyond an economic or regulatory offence, describing it as a national security concern because of its links to insecurity, environmental degradation, revenue losses and the exploitation of vulnerable communities.
He said the Mining Marshals were established in March 2024, following directives from the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to strengthen the government’s response to illegal mining.
According to him, the unit has since recovered more than 100 illegal mining sites and returned them to legitimate investors, while several suspects arrested during operations are currently facing prosecution.
He attributed the progress recorded by the Mining Marshals to the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi’s “3Cs” policy of collaboration, cooperation and coordination, which, he said, had shaped the unit’s operations.
Onoja said when the Mining Marshals commenced operations, enforcement was fragmented and intelligence was often kept in silos, but that the situation had gradually changed through increased cooperation among relevant stakeholders.
He identified community participation as one of the most important components of the strategy, noting that residents of mining communities often provide critical information that enables security agencies to identify illegal mining operations.
The commander also called for stronger engagement with the private sector, particularly in the areas of technology, risk intelligence and security systems, to monitor extensive mining areas that government agencies could not effectively cover alone.
He said inter-agency cooperation was equally essential, noting that the Mining Marshals work with the NSCDC, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, military, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and the judiciary, depending on the nature of each case.
Onoja said the objective should now be to move beyond treating collaboration as merely an operational tactic and make it a broader national approach to mining security.
He said this would require security and regulatory agencies to improve data sharing, speed up communication and maintain a consistent public position on the fight against illegal mining.
He also charged journalists and public relations professionals to play a greater role in educating the public, describing them as an important link between security operations and public understanding.
Onoja urged the media to report illegal mining not merely as an economic offence, but also in the context of its potential implications for national security.
He cautioned security agencies against sending conflicting messages on the fight against illegal mining, warning that gaps between public statements and field operations could be exploited by illegal operators.
The commander further argued that protecting legitimate mining activities would improve government revenue and enable authorities to exercise greater oversight over the sector.
He linked stronger mining security to the broader challenge of preventing the country’s mineral resources from becoming sources of illicit financing, including the financing of terrorism and other crimes.
Onoja also invoked the resource-curse theory, which describes the paradox whereby countries rich in natural resources fail to translate such wealth into broad economic development.
Nigeria, he said, must ensure that its mineral resources contribute to economic growth rather than become sources of insecurity and exploitation.
“For Nigeria, effective mining security and coordinated action among stakeholders are necessary to ensure that the country’s mineral wealth supports development,” he said.
He urged participants at the PR clinic to sustain discussions around collaborative security and develop practical measures to strengthen cooperation across the mining and security sectors.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, expressed appreciation to the management of Halogen Group for partnering with the Corps on the 8th edition of the clinic.
Keshinro said the partnership demonstrated Halogen’s commitment to professionalising the security industry and deepening synergy between regulators and operators.
He said the theme of the event, “Collaborative Security as a Paradigm for Mining Security,” was timely, noting that the NSCDC, by its statutory mandate, was responsible for the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure as well as regulation of the private guard industry.
He said solid mineral resources were among the critical national assets requiring protection, while illegal mining, unregulated mining operations and insecurity around mining corridors posed significant economic and security threats to the country.
“Mining security is no longer just about securing a pit or a site; it is about securing a national economic lifeline, protecting host communities, ensuring environmental compliance, preventing economic sabotage and denying criminal elements the space to fund other criminalities,” Keshinro said.
He added that illegal mining operations were being used to fund terrorism, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among security agencies and other stakeholders.
Keshinro said although Lagos was not known for large-scale solid mineral mining like some other states, it remained an important economic hub where financing, logistics, equipment and the export value chain for mining were domiciled.
He added that Lagos was also a major hub for private guard companies providing security services at mining sites across the country.
“Therefore, what we discuss and decide here in Lagos echoes across the federation,” he said.
According to him, collaborative security should focus on three major areas: collaboration between regulators and operators; collaboration between security agencies and communities; and collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Keshinro said the NSCDC, as regulator, and Halogen and other private guard companies, as operators, should see themselves as partners rather than competitors in national security.
He called for continuous intelligence sharing, standardised training and strict compliance, saying a well-trained, well-equipped and properly regulated private guard force could serve as a force multiplier for the Corps.
On community relations, he said the era of siloed security operations was over, stressing that effective mining security required community engagement, stakeholder relationships and strategic communication.
“This is where public relations becomes a security tool. How we communicate risk, how we manage perception and how we build trust with host communities determines whether a security operation succeeds or fails,” he said.
Keshinro also stressed the need for greater public-private sector collaboration, noting that modern security threats were increasingly asymmetric and technology-driven.
He said security agencies must leverage technology, data and innovation from the private sector to tackle illegal mining, vandalism and other threats.
He described the PR Clinic as a strategic platform for retooling NSCDC public relations officers, area commanders, divisional officers and other stakeholders.
Keshinro said the clinic had evolved beyond issuing press releases to making public relations a core operational function involving proactive engagement, crisis communication and trust-building.
He asked participants to explore how strategic communication could be used to demystify the role of the NSCDC and promote compliance in the mining sector.
The commandant assured stakeholders that the Lagos State Command would maintain an open-door policy with all law-abiding operators.
“Under my watch, we will continue to support Halogen Group and all law-abiding PGCs, but we will not relent in clamping down on quackery, unlicensed operations and economic saboteurs,” he said.
