Illegal Mining, Money Laundering Fuelling Insecurity, Revenue Loss – Reps Committee Warns
The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering has warned that illegal mining, money laundering and weak regulatory enforcement are fuelling insecurity and depriving Nigeria of critical revenue needed for national development.
Chairman of the committee, Rep. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem, gave the warning on Monday at a High-Level Stakeholders Workshop on Extractive Industry Governance in Abuja.
He said Nigeria’s abundant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, coal and tantalite should be driving economic growth and financing essential public services such as education and healthcare, but noted that illegal mining and illicit financial flows have widened the gap between the country’s mineral wealth and the prosperity of host communities.
Abdulraheem said the ad hoc committee, established to investigate illegal mineral exploitation across the country, had commenced investigative hearings and issued summons to agencies that failed to honour invitations.
He called on the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Mining Marshals, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to support the investigation by providing licensing records, operational data and financial intelligence.
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The lawmaker stressed that the committee’s investigation was not aimed at licensed mining operators, whom he described as critical partners in the sector, urging state governments and traditional institutions to provide credible information from mining communities to aid the probe.
He added that the committee would recommend legislative, regulatory and security reforms to strengthen governance in the extractive sector and ensure lasting impact beyond its tenure.
Speaking at the event, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, said the extractive industry has the potential to become Nigeria’s second-largest revenue source, but warned that illegal activities and lack of transparency continue to undermine economic diversification, fiscal stability and job creation.
Represented at the workshop, Abbas described the engagement as a collaborative effort designed to strengthen governance rather than an inquisition.
Also speaking, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, represented by Assistant Commandant of Corps Attah John Onoja, called for the establishment of special courts to accelerate the prosecution of illegal mining offenders.
He disclosed that the NSCDC Mining Marshals have arrested more than 671 suspected illegal miners since 2024, with 397 of them already arraigned in court.
Audi added that sustained enforcement operations had contributed to a 337 per cent increase in mining revenue and appealed for greater investment in surveillance technology, including drones, closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems, a national mining situation room and increased manpower to strengthen the fight against illegal mining.
He reaffirmed the NSCDC’s commitment to supporting efforts to protect Nigeria’s mineral resources and curb activities threatening the nation’s economic security.
By PRNigeria
