The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has declared war on illegal mining in Nigeria. Marking the one-year anniversary of the Mining Marshals, a specialized security outfit established to combat illegal mining, Alake vowed to leave no stone unturned in the fight against unauthorized mining activities.
In the past year, the Mining Marshals have made significant strides, with:
- 327 suspected illegal miners arrested
- 143 suspects arraigned
- 98 mining sites recovered
- 457 illegal mining sites identified
These successes have largely disrupted unauthorized mining activities, restored investor confidence, and contributed to a substantial increase in revenue generated from the sector.
To further strengthen the Mining Marshals, the federal government has approved increased budgetary allocation for the Ministry in the 2025 fiscal year.
This funding will enable the ministry to fully equip the Mining Marshals, enhance their operational capabilities, and extend their coverage nationwide.
Additionally, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N2.5 billion for the deployment of satellite technology to enhance the security architecture of the mining sector.
This will aid the operations of the Mining Marshals and provide air and ground coverage for the security of the solid minerals sector.
With the Mining Marshals now scaled up to 2,670 operatives, the minister is confident that the corps will decisively eliminate illegal mining and sanitize the mining sector.