RismadarVoice Reporters
September 17, 2026
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says its Mining Marshals have arrested more than 600 suspected illegal miners, recovered over 100 mining sites and commenced prosecution of more than 500 suspects since the specialised unit was established in March 2024.
Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant Attah Onoja, disclosed the figures at the 8th edition of the NSCDC Lagos Public Relations Clinic, where he spoke on collaborative security and the protection of Nigeria’s mining sector.
Onoja said the recovered sites had been restored to legitimate investors, describing the enforcement campaign as part of efforts to curb illegal exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources and strengthen the solid minerals sector.
The Mining Marshals were established in March 2024 as a specialised security initiative to combat illegal mining and improve enforcement across mining areas.
ILLEGAL MINING LINKED TO SECURITY RISKS
Onoja said illegal mining should not be treated solely as an economic or environmental offence, arguing that poorly regulated mineral extraction could also contribute to wider security challenges.
He said the unit’s strategy rests on three areas — community participation, private-sector support and cooperation among government security and regulatory agencies.
According to him, information from host communities has helped authorities identify illegal operations, while technology and private-sector intelligence are increasingly being deployed to monitor large mining corridors.
The Mining Marshals also work with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, military, police, Department of State Services and the judiciary where investigations or prosecutions require wider inter-agency involvement.
Despite the arrests and recovery of mining sites, Onoja acknowledged that enforcement remains challenging because of Nigeria’s vast mining terrain and what he described as increasingly sophisticated illegal mining networks.
He called for faster intelligence sharing and stronger coordination among government agencies, mining companies, private security operators and host communities.
Lagos State NSCDC Commandant Adedotun Keshinro also said mining security had expanded beyond protecting individual sites to safeguarding national economic interests and preventing illegally exploited resources from supporting other criminal activities.
The NSCDC said stronger enforcement and collaboration would help move mining activities into regulated channels, protect legitimate investors and increase government revenue from Nigeria’s mineral resources.