‎Illegal Mining and the Imperative of Security Collaboration
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‎By Zekeri Idakwo Laruba
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‎The recent petition by Mining Marshals Commander, Attah John Onoja, to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s successor, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has once again brought into sharp focus a challenge that has long undermined Nigeria’s security architecture: inter-agency rivalry.
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‎At the centre of the controversy are allegations by the commander of the NSCDC’s Mining Marshals that operatives of the Force Intelligence Department (FID) have embarked on a campaign to discredit and weaken the specialized anti-illegal mining unit through arrests, investigations, and actions allegedly linked to vested interests around mining sites.
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‎While the Nigeria Police Force has yet to officially respond to the allegations, the development raises questions that extend far beyond the immediate dispute. It compels policymakers, security experts, and stakeholders in the solid minerals sector to reflect on a fundamental reality: Success in the fight against illegal mining depends on collaboration, not conflict, among the agencies entrusted with the task.
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‎The battle against illegal mining is unlike conventional law enforcement operations. It sits at the intersection of economic sabotage, environmental degradation, organized crime, arms proliferation, banditry financing, and national security. The criminal networks involved are often well-funded, politically connected, and deeply embedded within local communities. They thrive not because government lacks institutions, but because institutional weaknesses create opportunities for exploitation.
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‎Recognizing this threat, the Federal Government established the Mining Marshals under the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as a specialized force dedicated to protecting mining assets, enforcing mining regulations, and dismantling illegal mining operations. Since inception, the unit has recorded notable successes, shutting down illegal sites, arresting suspects, recovering mining equipment, and disrupting criminal syndicates operating across several states.
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‎In a major enforcement breakthrough, the Mining Marshals recently arraigned 15 Chinese nationals, nine Nigerians, and a mining company before the Federal High Court in Abuja for their alleged roles in illegal lithium mining operations in Nasarawa State.
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‎The effectiveness of the Mining Marshals has earned commendation from the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who has consistently described illegal mining as a major threat to Nigeria’s economic future. The minister has repeatedly emphasized that mineral resources must benefit the nation rather than criminal cartels and foreign collaborators engaged in resource theft.
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‎However, the success of any specialized enforcement unit ultimately depends on cooperation from other security agencies.
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‎No single agency possesses all the intelligence, manpower, legal authority, and operational reach required to defeat sophisticated criminal enterprises. The Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Armed Forces, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigeria Customs Service, and NSCDC all possess capabilities that are essential to dismantling illegal mining networks.
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‎When these institutions work together, criminal groups are denied operational space. When they operate at cross-purposes, criminals become the beneficiaries.
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‎This is why reports of recurring confrontations with the Mining Marshals personnel and police operatives deserve serious attention.
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‎The petition references previous incidents in Kaduna and Ondo states where Mining Marshals personnel allegedly clashed with police officers during enforcement activities. Whether those incidents resulted from operational misunderstandings, jurisdictional disputes, or other factors remains a matter for investigation. Yet the very existence of such recurring allegations points to a deeper institutional problem that requires urgent intervention.
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‎History offers valuable lessons.
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‎Nigeria’s security agencies have occasionally struggled with jurisdictional conflicts. Similar disputes have occurred between anti-corruption agencies, customs and border authorities, military and police formations, and other enforcement bodies. In virtually every instance, such conflicts weakened collective effectiveness, diverted resources, and created opportunities for criminal actors to exploit institutional divisions.
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‎Illegal mining syndicates understand this dynamic very well. Criminal enterprises often survive not because they are stronger than the state but because state institutions fail to act in a coordinated manner. Rivalries, duplication of responsibilities, information hoarding, and conflicting directives create loopholes through which illegal operators flourish.
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‎The allegations contained in Commander Onoja’s petition are particularly significant because they emerge at a time when the Mining Marshals appear to be increasing pressure on illegal operators nationwide. If the allegations are proven, they would represent a serious setback to the Federal Government’s efforts to sanitize the mining sector. If they are disproven, an authoritative and transparent resolution would be equally necessary to restore confidence and eliminate suspicion.
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‎Either way, the overriding national interest remains the same: preserving unity of purpose among security institutions.
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‎One aspect of the petition that deserves recognition is the commander’s appeal for cooperation rather than confrontation. Despite his allegations, Onoja’s appeal ultimately calls for synergy, professionalism, transparency, and collaboration among law enforcement agencies.
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‎That position aligns with global best practices. In advanced jurisdictions, successful responses to resource crimes rely heavily on joint task forces, intelligence fusion centres, inter-agency operational protocols, and shared accountability frameworks. Agencies may have distinct mandates, but they operate under a unified strategic objective.
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‎Nigeria’s fight against illegal mining requires a similar model. The Police should be natural allies of the Mining Marshals. The Mining Marshals were not established to compete with the Police but to complement broader law enforcement efforts in a specialized sector. Likewise, the Police bring investigative expertise, forensic capabilities, prosecutorial support, and nationwide operational networks that can significantly strengthen anti-illegal mining operations.
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‎Rather than operating as separate actors, both institutions should function as force multipliers for one another.
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‎The Federal Government may therefore consider establishing a permanent Joint Mining Security Coordination Framework involving mining regulators, and relevant state authorities. Such a framework would reduce operational misunderstandings, improve intelligence sharing, and create clear protocols for dispute resolution whenever disagreements arise.
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‎The Office of the National Security Adviser could also play a coordinating role by institutionalizing regular inter-agency reviews of mining security operations across the country.
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‎Equally important is the need for thorough and transparent investigations into all allegations. The petition submitted by the Mining Marshals commander should be objectively examined by relevant authorities. Facts must prevail over speculation. Accountability must prevail over sentiment. Public confidence depends on the perception that institutions act fairly and professionally, regardless of rank or agency affiliation.
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‎Ultimately, Nigeria’s mineral wealth is too important to become a casualty of institutional rivalry.
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‎Illegal mining has already deprived the country of billions in revenue, fueled insecurity in vulnerable communities, contributed to environmental destruction, and provided funding streams for criminal networks. The challenge before the nation is therefore bigger than any disagreement between individual officers or agencies.
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‎The real enemy is not the Police. It is not the NSCDC. It is not the Mining Marshals.
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‎The real enemy is the criminal enterprise that steals Nigeria’s resources, undermines legitimate investors, finances insecurity, and weakens economic development.
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‎Defeating that enemy requires a united front. As the controversy unfolds and authorities review the allegations, one lesson stands out clearly: the future of Nigeria’s anti-illegal mining campaign will depend not only on enforcement capacity but on the willingness of security institutions to cooperate, trust one another, and place national interest above institutional rivalry.
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‎In the battle against illegal mining, collaboration is not merely desirable. It is indispensable.
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