By Nkechi Eze
The Mining Marshals have disrupted illegal mining operations in Nasarawa State following a coordinated enforcement operation targeted at unauthorised mineral extraction and activities considered to be in breach of mining regulations.
The operation, carried out following actionable intelligence and complaints from the affected areas, was aimed at denying illegal operators access to mineral resources while ensuring that legitimate mining title holders operate strictly within their approved coordinates.
The enforcement exercise forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to protect Nigeria’s mineral resources, strengthen regulatory compliance and safeguard strategic national assets from illegal exploitation.
The Mining Marshals deployed a joint task force comprising officials of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and community-based security structures.
Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) Attah John Onoja, who supervised the operation, said the deployment was part of the unit’s nationwide enforcement campaign against illegal mining.
Onoja said, “This deployment is part of our ongoing nationwide operational drive to entrench compliance, enforce mining regulations and establish a culture of lawful resource extraction across mining communities.”
He explained that the operation was conducted in accordance with established Standard Operating Procedures and within the legal mandate of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Act 2007, as amended.
The Commander reaffirmed the commitment of the Mining Marshals to sustained operations aimed at protecting the country’s mineral assets and supporting the strategic vision of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR.
The operation further underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration in tackling illegal mining, with the participating agencies combining intelligence, security and regulatory capabilities to identify and disrupt unlawful activities.
Authorities said illegal mining undermines government revenue, environmental protection, community stability and investor confidence in the solid minerals sector.
The Mining Marshals are expected to sustain their operational presence across key mining locations as part of efforts to formalise the sector, protect legitimate investments, secure mining corridors and promote responsible mineral development.
The enforcement drive is also aimed at strengthening operational control over the country’s mineral resources and advancing a compliance-driven mining regime capable of contributing more effectively to Nigeria’s long-term economic development.
