The Mining Marshals have continued to reinforce and enhance operational capacity to combat illegal mining in Nigeria.

The enforcement unit of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development continuously enhance capacity building in the ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining, improve regulatory compliance and reinforce oversight across Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

According to the Marshals, recent operational and fact-finding engagements across mining locations in Nasarawa and Plateau states focused on intelligence gathering, compliance monitoring and investigations into alleged illegal mining activities.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Henry Dele Alake, superintended the operations, providing strategic direction; while the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, led the operational engagements, alongside senior ministry officials from Mines Inspectorate, Legal Services and Special Duties, as well as representatives of the Mining Cadastre Office.

The Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, also led operatives of the special unit during field assessments and enforcement-related activities.

The Mining Marshals acknowledged the unwavering support of the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, whose commitment to strengthening the operational capacity of the special unit has continued to enhance the fight against illegal mining across several states.

The unit also commended Dr. Henry Dele Alake for his reform-driven leadership and commitment towards repositioning the mining sector for transparency, accountability and investor confidence.

The engagements lubricated collaboration between the Ministry, NSCDC and mining communities; advancing the Federal Government’s broader agenda of sanitizing the mining sector, strengthening oversight and safeguarding Nigeria’s mineral resources for sustainable economic development.