The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said the Mining Marshals have arrested more than 671 illegal mining suspects across the country, with 397 already charged to court as part of efforts to curb illegal mining.

At a stakeholders workshop on extractive industry governance in Abuja, on Monday, organised by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah Onoja, who represented the Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi, said the Corps have dismantled several illegal mining sites, while improved enforcement has boosted government revenue and investor confidence.

He, however, identified inadequate logistics, limited manpower, judicial delays and interference by criminal syndicates as major challenges, calling for increased funding, better surveillance and designated courts for mining-related offences.

President of the Nigeria Union of Mines Workers, Hamza Muhammad, urged the Federal Government to enforce local processing of minerals before export to create jobs, promote industrialization and maximize the value of the country’s mineral resources.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, represented by Fatima Usman-Katsina, reaffirmed the Forum’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development through a joint technical working group to improve traceability, accountability and coordination in the mining sector.

Earlier, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented by House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said the workshop was convened to develop practical solutions to illegal mining, insecurity and illicit financial flows, stressing the House’s commitment to strengthening laws that will reform the sector and attract responsible investment.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Hon. Sanni Abdulraheem, called for stronger collaboration among security agencies, regulators, mining operators and host communities, assuring that the committee’s recommendations would focus on legislative and policy reforms to strengthen governance and protect Nigeria’s mineral resources.