Nigeria’s long struggle to rein in illegal mining, a shadow industry draining billions from the national treasury, has entered a new phase. At the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on illegal mining was formally inaugurated, signalling a coordinated national front to curb illicit mineral exploitation and reclaim control over the solid minerals sector.
In his inaugural address, the Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Sani Egidi Abdulraheem, spoke with a mixture of urgency and resolve. Illegal mining, he said, “is a scourge that has had devastating effects on our nation, from the massive revenue losses to the criminality that undermines our security and rudely alters our environment.”
He cited an estimated $9 billion annual loss to illegal mining, a staggering figure that underscores the scale of the problem.
“Our mission is clear,” he declared. “It is to block these revenue leakages, enforce transparency, and ensure that every naira from our natural resources contributes to the nation’s economic prosperity.”
For Abdulraheem, the work ahead transcends legislative routine. It is about enforcing Nigeria’s constitutional mandate to protect its resources, expose corruption, and restore accountability. “We will leave no stone unturned,” he vowed, pledging to deploy structured oversight to track revenues, strengthen institutional enforcement, and safeguard the environment.
The Chairman’s words struck a reformist tone, linking the committee’s mission to broader industrial revival, notably the renewed push to reposition the Ajaokuta Steel Company as a symbol of Nigeria’s capacity for self-reliance. “Ajaokuta stands as a glaring testament to the failure of our nation to fully harness the potential of our mineral resources,” he said, expressing optimism that under the current administration’s political will, the project could finally fulfill its promise as a cornerstone for industrialization and job creation.
But the day’s proceedings were not just about parliamentary intent. They also spotlighted the growing institutional collaboration driving Nigeria’s new mining order, particularly the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and its elite Mining Marshals.
Representing the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, John Onoja Attah, hailed the event as “a significant milestone in our collective and ongoing efforts to tackle the scourge of illegal mining.”
He acknowledged the leadership of the House for demonstrating “unwavering commitment to addressing the challenges that threaten our lives, economic prosperity, and environmental sustainability as a nation.” Illegal mining, he said, is not just an economic crime but a national security threat that undermines legitimate investments and devastates local communities.
Attah traced the formation of the Mining Marshals to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, explaining that the unit was inaugurated last year through the joint efforts of Dr. Henry Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development; Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior; and Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the NSCDC Commandant-General.
“The enabling environment provided by this trio has strengthened the Corps’ capacity to sanitize the mining environment and protect legitimate investments,” Attah noted, adding that the Mining Marshals have made “significant strides in disrupting the activities of illegal miners, arresting suspects, and confiscating illicit minerals.”
Yet, he was frank about the challenges. “We realized we cannot do it alone,” he said, calling for sustained collaboration with the National Assembly to close legal and operational gaps. He urged lawmakers to prioritize five key areas: strengthening the Mining Marshals’ enforcement powers; improving inter-agency collaboration; increasing budgetary support; building a stronger legal framework to punish offenders; and raising awareness in local communities about the dangers of illegal mining.
“We remain committed to this fight until we get the needed support of this House to do even better,” Attah assured. “The NSCDC will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our mineral resources are harnessed for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
For his part, Hon. Abdulraheem recognized the NSCDC’s mining marshals as “a crucial institutional instrument” in addressing the menace. “Their field intelligence, operational reach, and enforcement capacity make them indispensable to the committee’s work,” he observed.
Behind this newfound synergy is a rare alignment between security and resource governance — a product of deliberate coordination among the Ministers of Interior and Solid Minerals Development, and the NSCDC leadership. Their joint framework, analysts note, has infused the anti-illegal mining drive with clarity, accountability, and national focus.
The inauguration drew stakeholders from across the security, mining, and policy communities, marking what many described as the beginning of a “new era of accountability” in Nigeria’s mineral sector.
For a nation long undermined by unregulated exploitation and institutional inertia, this emerging coalition — between the legislature, executive, and security agencies- offers a promising signal: that Nigeria may at last be forging the political will and operational unity needed to reclaim its mineral wealth from the shadows and redirect it toward sustainable national prosperity.
