The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development is strengthening its collaboration with the Mining Marshals to enhance oversight, compliance, and enforcement in Nigeria’s mining sector. This expanded partnership broadens the security outfit's role beyond traditional enforcement against illegal miners.
Expanded role for Mining Marshals
The ministry is increasingly integrating the Mining Marshals into strategic activities such as intelligence gathering, investigations, compliance monitoring, and operational fact-finding missions. These efforts aim to strengthen oversight and accountability within the solid minerals sector.
Industry stakeholders view this as a sign of the Federal Government’s focus on repositioning mining as a transparent, secure, and investment-friendly sector that supports economic diversification.
Operational tours in Northern Nigeria
As part of the expanded framework, the ministry recently conducted operational tours of mining locations in Northern Nigeria alongside Mining Marshals officials. The tours, initiated under Minister Dele Alake, were designed to reinforce monitoring, improve regulatory compliance, and strengthen oversight in mining communities.
The inspection teams were led by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Faruk Yusuf Yabo, representing the minister, and visited sites in Nasarawa and Plateau states.
Fact-finding missions
During one fact-finding operation, officials visited a mining location suspected of unlawful activities. The delegation included the Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps Attah John Onoja, and senior ministry officials such as Engr. Frank Odoom, Engr. Imam A. Ganiyu, Andrew Zubiri, and Ibrahim Abdulmajeed J.
Officials said the visit aimed to verify allegations of illegal mining, assess compliance, and gather intelligence for administrative or enforcement actions.
Commitment to regulated mining
According to officials, these tours reinforce the Federal Government’s commitment to a regulated mining environment where investors, host communities, and workers operate within a safe and transparent framework. The engagements also provide a direct communication channel for mining communities to raise concerns about illegal mining, environmental management, security, and compliance.
Observers note that the ministry’s growing reliance on the Mining Marshals for broader responsibilities signals a coordinated national response to illegal mining and improved governance in the solid minerals value chain.
Reforms under Dele Alake
Under Alake’s leadership, the ministry continues to implement reforms to reduce illegal mining, improve monitoring, and restore investor confidence. The Mining Marshals, established to combat illegal mining and protect licensed operators, are now central to the ministry’s reform agenda through intelligence support, enforcement, and inter-agency collaboration.
