The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has declared that there will be no hiding place for illegal miners in the country. He emphasized that efforts to strengthen the operations of the Mining Marshals and ensure nationwide coverage are already underway. Speaking at a press conference on Friday to mark the one-year anniversary of the corps, Alake noted that the establishment of the Mining Marshals last year has significantly disrupted unauthorized mining activities, boosting investor confidence in the sector.
According to the Minister, the activation of the corps to enforce the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA) has effectively curbed illegal mining, striking fear into unauthorized operators and serving as a major deterrent. The Marshals have engaged in direct operations across 10 states—Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Kaduna, Enugu, Abia, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory. This has led to the arrest of 327 suspected illegal miners, the arraignment of 143 suspects, and the recovery of 98 mining sites, with 457 illegal mining sites identified.
Alake pointed out that, despite some logistical constraints, these operations have been successful. He assured that with the increased budgetary allocation for the Ministry in the 2025 fiscal year, these limitations would be addressed, enabling the Marshals to improve their operational capabilities. He also expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly for the substantial allocation in the 2025 Appropriation Act, which will facilitate the equipping of the Mining Marshals and expand their coverage.
The Minister also highlighted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved N2.5bn for the deployment of satellite technology to enhance the security infrastructure of the mining sector, further supporting the work of the Mining Marshals. With this technology, the federal government will provide air and ground surveillance to secure the sector—marking a significant step toward cleaning up illegal mining activities.
Reflecting on the achievements of the Mining Marshals, Alake stated that the corps, initially launched with 2,220 operatives, has now expanded to 2,670 members. The corps has contributed to raising awareness of the Federal Government’s enforcement capacity against illegal mining, leading to increased revenue generation from the sector. He praised the leadership and dedication of the Commandant of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Attah Onoja, for his role in these successes.
In his remarks, ACC Onoja thanked the Minister for his continuous support and guidance. He emphasized that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) approved by the Minister have been instrumental in the corps’ success over the past year. He also welcomed the federal government’s support to further improve logistics, which will allow the corps to intensify its efforts to sanitize the mining sector.