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By Tracy Moses
Nigeria is losing an estimated ₦13.7 trillion annually to illegal mining and gold smuggling, according to Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah Onoja, who has also issued a stern appeal to Nigerian journalists, warning them against biased or compromised reportage in the ongoing battle against the menace.
Speaking during a media engagement organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, in Abuja, Onoja alleged that illegal mining syndicates are actively funding what he termed “rogue journalism” in a bid to undermine the credibility and progress of enforcement agencies.
“We will not succumb to any form of blackmail aimed at weakening our mission,” he stated firmly. “Fighting illegal mining is not the sole responsibility of security agencies; the media must also play a pivotal role in this struggle.”
The Mining Marshals operate under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and were established as part of President Tinubu’s administration’s strategy to sanitize the mining sector. The unit was inaugurated under the directive of the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake.
Since their formation, the Marshals have launched several operations across the country, targeting unauthorized mining sites, apprehending suspects, and restoring order in mining-affected regions.
Despite grappling with major obstacles such as entrenched interests and insufficient operational support, Onoja emphasized the importance of their work, describing it as vital to safeguarding Nigeria’s future.
“Our minerals are national assets; they should benefit every Nigerian, not a select few engaging in criminal exploitation,” he added.
Onoja’s comments come at a time when law enforcement officials, including Federal Capital Territory Police Commissioner Ajao Adewale, have publicly revealed the vast scale of the problem. According to Adewale, illegal mining is being orchestrated by powerful individuals and has strong ties to insecurity and organized crime, especially banditry.
The efforts of the Marshals are part of a broader nationwide crackdown, with major interventions recorded in states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Osun, and parts of the FCT, including Gwagwalada, Asokoro, Gaube, Kuje, and Katampe Extension.
Between 2023 and 2024, over 72 individuals were apprehended in the FCT alone for illegal mining activities, following coordinated raids by the NSCDC, Police, and EFCC.
Onoja acknowledged the uphill nature of the task, but maintained that enforcement must be complemented by robust and factual media reporting to successfully dismantle entrenched cartels involved in illegal mining.
Echoing this sentiment, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dele Ayanleke, also lent his voice to the campaign. He blamed the proliferation of illegal mining on factors such as widespread corruption, poverty, and weak institutional oversight. Ayanleke highlighted the grave social and ecological consequences, including rampant child labour in Nasarawa’s lithium mines and toxic mercury exposure in Zamfara’s gold-mining communities.
Earlier in her remarks, Chairperson of the NUJ FCT Council, Ms. Grace Ike, encouraged journalists to go beyond surface-level reporting and pursue in-depth investigative work.
She urged the media to uncover the financial backers of illegal mining networks, bring affected community stories to the forefront, and hold authorities accountable for lapses in regulation and enforcement.
“As watchdogs of society, we must dig deeper, reveal the truth, and enlighten citizens on the destruction illegal mining inflicts on communities and the environment,” Ike stated.
The NUJ FCT Council reaffirmed its commitment to championing the voices of communities suffering from mining-related harm and called for greater public engagement in demanding transparency, environmental justice, and improved governance.
The Mining Marshals continue to call for a media alliance grounded in integrity, one that helps promote national security and defends Nigeria’s collective mineral wealth from exploitation.