The Federal Government has deployed Mining Marshals to strengthen intelligence gathering, compliance monitoring and operational oversight in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector as part of efforts to curb illegal mining activities.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Commander of Mining Marshals Operations and Assistant Commandant of Corps, Attah Onoja.
According to the statement, the Mining Marshals are now participating in investigations, intelligence gathering, fact-finding missions and compliance monitoring being conducted by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
Onoja said the initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to strengthen enforcement within the mining sector and improve regulatory compliance.
He stated that the marshals recently joined ministry officials on operational visits to mining sites in Nasarawa State and Plateau State under the leadership of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Oladele Alake.
According to the statement, the operations were aimed at improving monitoring activities and enhancing operational oversight across mining communities.
It added that the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Faruk Yusuf Yabo, led the team on several occasions on behalf of the minister during the field engagements.
The statement further revealed that one of the operational and fact-finding missions involved a visit to a mining site allegedly being illegally exploited.
“During one of the operational and fact-finding missions, the Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, accompanied ministry officials to a mining site allegedly being illegally exploited,” the statement said.
It noted that the visit was aimed at verifying allegations of unlawful mining activities, assessing compliance with mining regulations and obtaining field-based information for possible administrative and enforcement actions.
Other senior officials who participated in the operations included Director of Special Duties, Engr. Frank Odoom; Director of Mines Inspectorate, Engr. Imam A. Ganiyu; Director of Legal Services, Andrew Zubiri; and Ibrahim Abdulmajeed, who represented the Director-General of the Mining Cadastre Office.
The ministry said the engagements also created a feedback channel between government authorities and mining communities, allowing concerns relating to illegal mining, environmental practices, security and regulatory compliance to be communicated directly to officials.
According to the statement, the Mining Marshals will continue to support ministry operations nationwide through intelligence support, operational collaboration and inter-agency coordination.
