● Alake: 300 illegal miners arrested, 150 prosecuted as unit gets armored backup
The Federal Government has inaugurated eight operational gun trucks for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mining Marshals to intensify the crackdown on illegal mining and protect Nigeria’s solid mineral resources.
The vehicles were unveiled Tuesday alongside a commemorative publication entitled “The Guardians of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals: Two Years of Commitment and Service by the Mining Marshals,” which documents the unit’s achievements since establishment.
Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake, who presided over the ceremony, assured the Mining Marshals of continued government support.
He pledged additional technological equipment and armored vehicles once budgetary allocations are secured.
Alake commended the specialised NSCDC unit’s performance, disclosing that the Mining Marshals have arrested more than 300 illegal miners, prosecuted over 150 suspects, and secured several convictions involving both Nigerian and foreign offenders in the past two years.
According to the minister, the unit has played a crucial role in safeguarding mineral wealth and supporting economic diversification through increased revenue from the solid minerals sector.
He warned that individuals and groups undermining government efforts against illegal mining would face prosecution.
“They are saboteurs working against national interests,” Alake said.
Representing Minister of Interior Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Major General Abdulmalik Jibrin praised the collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
He pledged continued support through enhanced training, funding, and operational capacity for the Mining Marshals.
Commandant General of NSCDC Ahmed Audi, represented by Deputy Commandant General Zakari Ibrahim Ningi, described the ministry’s support as “unprecedented.”
He reaffirmed the Corps’ commitment to sustaining partnership with the solid minerals ministry and assured the new gun trucks would be deployed effectively in ongoing operations.
National Commander of the Mining Marshals John Attah Onoja thanked both ministries for logistics support, saying it would significantly enhance operational efficiency.
Onoja urged Nigerians to support the campaign against illegal mining, emphasizing that unauthorized exploitation of mineral resources amounts to theft of national wealth. He also called for continued cooperation among security agencies to strengthen enforcement across mining communities.
The inauguration marks another step in FG’s strategy to curb illegal mining, improve security in mining areas, and maximize economic benefits from Nigeria’s vast solid mineral resources.
