The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals have intensified enforcement operations across the country as part of renewed efforts to curb illegal mining and ensure compliance with regulations governing Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
The specialised enforcement unit said its operational teams, particularly in the South-West, have recorded significant progress in monitoring mining activities and enforcing extant laws.
Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Onoja Attah, warned mining operators against violating regulatory requirements, stressing that ignorance of the law would not exempt offenders from prosecution.
According to Attah, operators are required to ensure that all mining activities are conducted within the ambit of the law, while those who deliberately operate outside the approved regulatory framework would face legal consequences.
“Ignorance of the law will never be an excuse. Every operator must ensure that mining activities are conducted within the ambit of the law. Those who choose to operate outside the regulatory framework will face the full weight of legal consequences,” he said.
The Mining Marshals said the intensified enforcement campaign is aimed not only at dismantling illegal mining operations but also at protecting legitimate investors, improving government revenue and restoring integrity to the solid minerals sector.
The unit was established as a specialised enforcement mechanism to support ongoing reforms in the mining sector and strengthen the government’s response to illegal exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.
The renewed operations align with the Federal Government’s broader efforts to reposition the solid minerals sector as a major driver of economic diversification and national development. The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has consistently identified regulatory compliance, investor protection and the elimination of illegal mining as critical to unlocking the sector’s economic potential.
The NSCDC also linked the strengthened enforcement drive to the leadership of the Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, whose administration has prioritised the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure.
Under Audi’s leadership, the Corps has strengthened institutional support for the Mining Marshals, enabling the unit to play a greater role in tackling illegal resource exploitation and associated revenue leakages.
The Corps reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with relevant regulatory agencies and stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s mineral resources are exploited lawfully, safely and sustainably.
It stressed that as enforcement operations continue nationwide, mining operators must comply with all applicable regulations, warning that non-compliance would attract appropriate sanctions.
