The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has announced that the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to expand and equip the Mining Marshals, a specialised task force dedicated to eliminating illegal mining across Nigeria.
Speaking at the Nigerian Defence College, Abuja, during a lecture for participants of Course 34 on the Solid Minerals Value Chain and its Impact on Economic Growth, Alake said the Marshals have already recorded “impressive results” and will soon extend operations to all 774 local government areas.
“The Mining Marshals have lived up to the mandate to provide an enforcement agency for the sector,” Alake said in a statement by his media aide, Segun Tomori. “Ongoing plans to boost their capacity in logistics, vehicles, equipment, and weaponry will further rid the country of illegal miners.”
Since their deployment in 2023, the Mining Marshals have reclaimed about 90 mining sites from illegal operators and armed groups, prosecuted over 300 offenders, and monitored 450 mining locations under threat from illegal activities.
Alake, represented by his Special Adviser Kehinde Bamigbetan, praised the collaboration between the Marshals and other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police, describing it as a model of inter-agency synergy.
“We appreciate the support of our security partners. This cooperation has made the Mining Marshals’ operations more effective and impactful,” he said.
Highlighting progress under his Seven-Point Agenda, Alake said reforms in the sector have raised the ministry’s revenue from ₦6 billion in 2022 to ₦12 billion in 2024, reaching ₦26 billion as of October 2025, driven by stricter enforcement of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act.
He disclosed that over 3,700 mining titles have been revoked for non-compliance, including failure to pay annual fees or engage in active mining, while operators are being pressed to honour Community Development Agreements and environmental obligations.
To attract global investors, Alake said the creation of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company now allows for joint ventures that encourage value addition and job creation.
On behalf of the Defence College participants, Air Commodore Olushola Oluokun, Director of ICT, commended the minister for the “insightful lecture” that deepened participants’ understanding of the solid minerals sector’s strategic role in Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
The Mining Marshals initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), remains central to President Bola Tinubu’s plan to diversify Nigeria’s economy beyond oil and secure mining communities nationwide.
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