Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested and arraigned 24 suspects, including 15 Chinese nationals and nine Nigerians, over alleged involvement in large‑scale illegal mining operations in Nasarawa State. The suspects were paraded before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, June 1, 2026, following their arrest during a coordinated intelligence‑led operation by the NSCDC’s Mining Marshals in the forested areas of the state, specifically around the Keana and Awe Local Government Areas, where illegal mining of solid minerals has persisted despite repeated government warnings.
In a statement issued by the NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, DCC Babawale Afolabi, the Corps confirmed that the suspects were apprehended while engaged in the unauthorised excavation of valuable minerals, including lithium, zinc and lead, without valid licences or permits. The operation, which took place on May 28, 2026, was part of the NSCDC’s ongoing “Operation Save the Nation” campaign, aimed at sanitising the solid minerals sector and curbing the activities of illegal miners who have been accused of causing severe environmental degradation, land disputes, and revenue loss to the federal government.
“The suspects were caught in the act of mining and processing solid minerals at a site located deep within a forest in Keana LGA,” Afolabi said in the statement. “They were unable to produce any lawful authorisation, licence or permit from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. Their activities have caused extensive damage to the environment, including the pollution of water sources and destruction of farmlands belonging to host communities.” The NSCDC also recovered heavy mining equipment, including excavators, grinding machines, and several trucks loaded with processed minerals, as well as a large cache of tools used in the illicit operation.
The 15 Chinese nationals were identified as employees of a company registered under a Nigerian name, which the NSCDC alleged was used as a front to conceal the illegal mining syndicate. Preliminary investigations revealed that the foreign nationals entered Nigeria through valid business visas but had overstayed their visas and engaged in activities outside the scope of their permits. The nine Nigerian suspects included site managers, local workers, and alleged middlemen who facilitated the transportation and sale of the illegally mined minerals.
Following their arrest, the suspects were charged before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a six‑count charge bordering on illegal mining, conspiracy, and contravention of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007. The prosecution counsel, Dr. Ben Ude, told the court that the offences were punishable under Sections 1(8) and 2(3) of the Act, which prohibit the exploration and exploitation of solid minerals without a valid licence from the Minister of Mines and Steel Development. All the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court granted bail to the Nigerian suspects in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties in like sum, while bail for the Chinese nationals was set at N50 million each, with the additional condition that their international passports be deposited with the court registry. The case was adjourned to July 15, 2026, for the commencement of trial. The NSCDC said it would continue to pursue investigations to identify and prosecute other members of the syndicate, including the owners of the company behind the illegal mining ring.
The arrest and arraignment of the 15 Chinese nationals mark one of the largest foreign nationals arrests in a single mining operation in Nigeria’s history. It underscores the federal government’s renewed commitment to tackling the scourge of illegal mining, which has been blamed for the loss of billions of naira in potential revenue, environmental devastation, and the financing of criminal networks. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who has been briefed on the operation, praised the NSCDC for its vigilance and warned that the government would not hesitate to revoke licences and prosecute both local and foreign individuals found violating mining regulations.
As the trial proceeds, the host communities in Keana and Awe LGAs have welcomed the arrests, expressing hope that the crackdown would restore sanity to the mining sector and reduce the environmental damage that has rendered many of their rivers undrinkable and farmlands unproductive. “For years, these foreign miners have come in with heavy machines, dug up our land, and left us with nothing but polluted water and empty pits,” a community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Stone Reporters News. “We hope this is not just a show and that the government will follow through.”
For the NSCDC, the successful arrest and arraignment of 24 suspects sends a strong signal that the era of impunity for illegal miners is over. The Corps has vowed to intensify its operations across other mining‑prone states, including Plateau, Kaduna, Ekiti, and Ondo, where similar syndicates are believed to be operating. With the court adjourned, the 24 suspects now await trial, and the federal government is watching closely to see whether the judiciary will deliver the kind of convictions that have long been absent in Nigeria’s fight against illegal mining.
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