The Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, has identified illegal mining as a major source of financial and logistical support for banditry and terrorism, warned that securing Nigeria’s mineral resources is critical to tackling insecurity.
Onoja made this known at the just concluded 4th Nigerian Nation Builders Annual Conference held at the Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where he highlighted the connection between illegal mining operations and the activities of criminal networks across the country.
He explained that criminal groups exploit illegal mining sites to generate funds and sustain their operations, creating a dangerous link between the unlawful exploitation of mineral resources and the persistence of insecurity in affected communities.
According to him, efforts to sanitise the mining sector must go beyond routine regulatory enforcement and be treated as a strategic national security priority.
The Mining Marshals Commander stressed that disrupting illegal mining activities would help weaken the financial and logistical networks sustaining banditry, terrorism and other organised criminal enterprises.
He noted that effective mineral security is therefore essential to protecting the nation’s natural resources while denying criminal elements access to the proceeds that enable them to expand their operations.
Onoja’s remarks underscored the growing importance of coordinated action against illegal mining as part of broader efforts to address insecurity, strengthen resource governance and safeguard Nigeria’s economic interests.
The Mining Marshals, an initiative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), are mandated to combat illegal mining and protect the country’s mineral resources.
