The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals have intensified their nationwide crackdown on illegal mining activities, uncovering an alleged illegal gold mining operation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and arresting two suspects in a decisive enforcement action.
The operation, carried out in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT, followed credible intelligence and a petition alleging unlawful mining activities within the coordinates of a valid exploration licence. Acting swiftly on the information, the specialised enforcement unit deployed operatives to the location where the suspects were apprehended at an active gold extraction site.
Preliminary investigations by the Mining Marshals revealed that mining activities were allegedly being conducted outside the boundaries of an approved mineral title area, raising concerns over regulatory violations and unauthorised exploitation of the nation's mineral resources.
The operation is also considered significant in addressing growing concerns over environmental degradation and associated security threats linked to illegal mining activities in the area. Residents had reportedly raised concerns over the impact of unregulated mining operations, prompting closer scrutiny by relevant authorities.
The suspects are currently assisting investigators, while efforts are underway to identify and apprehend other individuals connected to the operation. Investigators are also examining the circumstances surrounding the activities at the site and the extent of possible infractions under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act.
Speaking on the development, Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Onoja Attah, said the operation underscores the unwavering commitment of the Corps to sanitising the mining sector and protecting legitimate mineral title holders from encroachment, environmental abuse and economic sabotage.
He reiterated that the Mining Marshals, a specialised enforcement unit established to combat illegal mining, will continue to deploy intelligence-led operations, surveillance, investigations and prosecutions to dismantle criminal networks operating within the sector.
According to him, no part of the country will serve as a safe haven for illegal miners, as the Mining Marshals remain poised to respond swiftly and decisively to reports of illegal mining activities wherever they occur. He stressed that ongoing enforcement operations are designed to ensure that compliance with the law becomes the only sustainable path for operators in the mining sector, while violators face the full weight of the law.
The latest operation aligns with the vision and firm directive of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, that no stone should be left unturned in the fight against illegal mining and other forms of economic sabotage threatening Nigeria's national assets. Under his leadership, the Corps has strengthened inter-agency collaboration, enhanced operational intelligence and intensified enforcement actions aimed at restoring order, accountability and investor confidence in the solid minerals sector.
Attah warned that individuals or groups involved in illegal mining activities would be identified, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law, stressing that the Mining Marshals remain resolute in disrupting and dismantling illegal mining networks across the country.
The operation marks another significant milestone in the ongoing campaign by the NSCDC Mining Marshals to curb illegal mineral exploitation, safeguard Nigeria's vast mineral resources, protect communities from the environmental consequences of unlawful mining and ensure strict compliance with extant mining regulations.
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