By Our Reporter
The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ajao Adewale, has raised alarm over the growing impact of illegal mining on Nigeria’s economy and security, describing it as a cartel-driven enterprise bankrolled by influential Nigerians.
He warned that the country loses an estimated $9 billion (N13.7 trillion) annually to the practice.
“The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) cited that Nigeria loses up to $9 billion (N13.7 trillion naira) annually to illegal mining/gold smuggling in Nigeria. Illegal mining is not just a mere economic crime; it fuels insecurity, degrades our environment, undermines lawful investment, and robs our nation of vital resources.
“Reports have shown that powerful Nigerians are the primary drivers of these operations, using foreigners merely as fronts while banditry and terrorism are bankrolled through this criminal network,” he said,” he said.
Speaking at a media parley hosted by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council on “The Fight Against Illegal Mining: Role of the Media,” Adewale said the menace goes beyond economic sabotage, stressing: “Illegal mining is not just a mere economic crime; it fuels insecurity, degrades our environment, undermines lawful investment, and robs our nation of vital resources.”
The police boss identified Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Osun, and parts of the FCT as hotspots, noting that over 72 suspects had been arrested in Abuja alone between 2023 and 2024. In the FCT, illegal activities have been reported in areas like Gwagwalada, Asokoro, Gaube, Kuje, and Katampe Extension.
Also addressing journalists, Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah Onoja, cautioned against compromised reportage, alleging that cartels were sponsoring “rogue journalism” to discredit enforcement efforts.
“We will not cave to any blackmail designed to weaken our resolve. Illegal mining cannot be defeated by enforcement agencies alone, and this is why we are calling on the media to be partners in this fight,” Onoja declared.
He explained that since their creation under the Tinubu administration, the Mining Marshals, an enforcement arm of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have dismantled illegal camps, prosecuted offenders, and restored order in volatile corridors.
Despite challenges such as entrenched interests and limited logistics, Onoja insisted that the campaign was vital to national survival.
On his part, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dele Ayanleke, warned of the severe consequences of the crisis. “From child labour in Nasarawa’s lithium fields to mercury poisoning in Zamfara’s gold sites, the costs are severe. Illegal mining undermines legitimate investors, destroys communities, and fuels insecurity,” he said.
NUJ FCT Chairman, Grace Ike, urged journalists to deepen investigative reporting to expose financiers and amplify community voices, insisting: “As gatekeepers of truth, we must investigate, expose, and educate the public on the devastating effects of illegal mining.”
