Mining Marshals Record 700 Arrests, Recover Over 100 Mining Sites, Says Commander
The Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have recorded about 700 arrests and restored more than 100 mining sites to their rightful owners as part of ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining across the country.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant Attah John Onoja, disclosed this in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 4th Nigerian Nation Builders Annual Conference, themed “Effective Harnessing and Utilization of Solid Minerals as Panacea for Nation Building in Nigeria.”
Onoja said several of the cases arising from the arrests had been taken before the Federal High Court, describing the unit’s operations as part of broader efforts to secure Nigeria’s mineral resources and protect legitimate mining investments.
He called for what he described as “strategic resource nationalism”, urging the Federal Government to place national interests at the centre of the exploration, exploitation and utilisation of the country’s solid mineral resources.
According to him, Nigeria’s vast mineral deposits constitute a strategic national asset capable of driving economic diversification, industrialisation, employment generation and technological development while reducing dependence on crude oil.
He, however, said the sector continued to face challenges, including illegal mining, regulatory breaches, revenue leakages and inadequate local value addition.
Onoja warned that illegal mining had evolved beyond an economic and environmental problem into a national security concern, arguing that criminal exploitation of mineral resources could provide funding for banditry, terrorism and money laundering while depriving government of substantial revenue.
He said securing the mining sector was therefore essential to protecting national assets, strengthening economic sovereignty and creating an environment in which legitimate investors and host communities could benefit from mineral development.
The Commander said the Mining Marshals were established as a specialised security intervention to complement government efforts to sanitise the sector, protect legitimate mining title holders and investors, secure mining communities and provide a safer environment for responsible investment.
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He identified the formalisation of artisanal mining, improved transparency in mining data, local processing and value addition, as well as enforceable community development agreements, as key measures for building a sustainable mining industry.
Onoja also stressed the importance of ensuring that communities hosting mining operations derive tangible economic and social benefits from mineral exploitation.
He said the geographical distribution of mineral deposits across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones offered an opportunity to stimulate local economies, promote inclusive development and reduce dependence on crude oil revenues and federal allocations.
“Minerals should not be treated merely as commodities for export but as instruments for industrialisation, technological advancement, job creation and national prosperity,” he said.
The Commander commended the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, for strengthening the Corps’ operational capacity and expanding its role in protecting critical national assets.
He said the establishment and sustained operations of specialised interventions such as the Mining Marshals reflected the Corps’ response to emerging security challenges within Nigeria’s extractive sector.
The conference also featured commendation for the Mining Marshals from Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd.), who represented the Chairman of the occasion, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa.
Bankole commended Onoja for what he described as his courage, professionalism and commitment to national service, while recognising the Mining Marshals’ efforts in tackling illegal mining, protecting legitimate mining interests and safeguarding government revenue.
He said sustained efforts to secure the mining sector could also contribute to restoring investor confidence and strengthening Nigeria’s economic base.
Onoja subsequently called for closer collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, the legislature, judiciary, traditional institutions, host communities and legitimate investors to strengthen the protection and responsible exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
He maintained that the real value of Nigeria’s mineral wealth lay not simply in the deposits beneath the soil, but in the ability to convert those resources into jobs, industries, improved livelihoods and sustainable national development.
He said the Mining Marshals would remain focused on protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources, confronting illegal exploitation and safeguarding legitimate mining interests in support of the country’s economic and security objectives.
By PRNigeria
