Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Government has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illegal mining, arresting more than 327 individuals, including foreign nationals suspected of links to terrorism and organised crime, while revoking approximately 3,000 mining licences. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the figures on Friday, May 15, 2026, during an interview with Channels Television in Abuja, where he also announced that foreign nationals apprehended for illegal mining activities and suspected security-related concerns have been transferred to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for further investigation.
Alake said the move is part of ongoing efforts to tighten enforcement in the solid minerals sector amid rising international scrutiny, including allegations by some United States lawmakers linking illegal Chinese mining operations in Nigeria to the financing of terrorist activities. “Foreign nationals arrested for illegal mining activities and suspected links to terrorism have been handed over to the Office of the National Security Adviser for further investigation,” Alake stated. While he did not disclose the exact number of foreign nationals transferred or their nationalities, the minister confirmed that more than 327 individuals, including foreign nationals, have been arrested for illegal mining across the country. According to him, about 142 suspects are currently facing prosecution, while approximately 3,000 mining licences have been revoked as part of efforts to sanitise the sector.
Alake also pointed to significant revenue growth in the sector, attributing the gains to reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He said revenue from the solid minerals sector increased from about ₦6 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion by December 2025. The minister urged stakeholders and operators in the solid minerals industry to adopt the right mindset and demonstrate greater social responsibility to help move the sector forward, warning that “it is no longer business as usual” in Nigeria’s mining industry.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns that illegal mining is fuelling insecurity across Nigeria. Security experts and civil society organisations have repeatedly warned that criminal groups operating in parts of Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Plateau and other mineral-rich states derive huge revenues from illicit mining operations. Armed gangs and insurgent groups have reportedly taken control of several illegal mining sites, using proceeds from gold and other mineral resources to procure weapons and fund violent operations. Communities in mining areas, such as Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara, have also suffered repeated attacks, extortion and violent territorial disputes linked to control of mineral resources.
To strengthen enforcement, Alake disclosed that about 2,500 mining marshals recruited from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have been deployed nationwide to combat illegal mining. He said the marshals have apprehended more than 800 illegal operators, while over 142 suspects, including foreigners, are currently facing prosecution. The mining marshals have also identified 457 suspected illegal mining sites and improved intelligence gathering, leading to more targeted operations.
President Tinubu had earlier raised concerns over the continued exploitation and illegal extraction of mineral resources across West Africa. Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at the Annual General Meeting of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA), the President warned that illegal mining poses a serious threat to regional stability. “I believe the time has come for us to designate resource theft, mining, and stealing of minerals in the region as an international crime that threatens regional stability and galvanise the world against threats from stolen minerals from West Africa,” Tinubu said.
The government has also been promoting local value addition in the mining sector to boost industrialisation, job creation and revenue generation. Under the new policy, mining companies are expected to process and add value to minerals locally instead of exporting raw materials. Alake likened President Tinubu’s economic reforms to a painful but necessary process that would eventually deliver long-term prosperity for Nigerians. “Restructuring comes with pain, but after the gestational period, the results will begin to manifest,” he said.
As the crackdown continues, the Federal Government has vowed to sustain pressure on illegal mining syndicates and their financiers. The arrests and prosecutions are expected to send a strong signal that resource theft will no longer be tolerated, and that those who exploit Nigeria’s mineral wealth unlawfully will face the full weight of the law. The minister’s disclosure comes against the backdrop of worsening insecurity across Nigeria, where illegal mining has increasingly been linked to the financing of banditry, terrorism and organised criminal activities. Community leaders in affected areas have welcomed the crackdown but called for more proactive measures to protect local populations from the violence associated with mineral exploitation.
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