The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, Hon. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem, has warned that illegal mining, weak enforcement and money laundering are turning Nigeria’s vast mineral resources into a source of insecurity and massive revenue losses.
Speaking at a High-Level Stakeholders Workshop on Extractive Industry Governance in Abuja on Monday, Abdulraheem said Nigeria’s abundant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, coal and tantalite have failed to translate into economic prosperity because of widespread illegal activities in the sector.
He said the House constituted the ad hoc committee to investigate illegal mineral exploitation across the country, trace illicit financial flows, assess security around mining communities and recommend reforms to strengthen governance in the extractive industry.
“Nigeria is blessed with enormous mineral deposits that should be transforming livelihoods and strengthening our economy. Instead, illegal mining, weak enforcement and the laundering of proceeds have created a troubling gap between our natural wealth and the prosperity of our communities,” he said.
According to him, criminal networks and revenue leakages associated with illegal mining have turned many mineral-rich communities into dangerous and contested territories.
Abdulraheem said the committee has already begun engagements with relevant agencies and would not hesitate to compel cooperation where necessary.
“We have held sittings and engaged relevant agencies. Where cooperation fell short of expectations, we have not hesitated to issue summons because reform without accurate information is guesswork dressed as policy,” he said.
He noted that findings from the committee’s investigations indicate that illegal mining is a complex challenge that no single institution can tackle alone.
“The illegal mining challenge sits at the intersection of law, security, finance, community livelihood and governance. It requires regulators, security agencies, financial intelligence institutions, state governments, traditional institutions and civil society to work together,” he added.
The lawmaker called on the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office to provide licensing records and regulatory information critical to achieving lasting reforms.
He also urged security agencies, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Mining Marshals, to identify operational challenges requiring legislative intervention.
Addressing the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulraheem said illicit proceeds from illegal mining move through accounts, shell arrangements and cross-border channels that can be traced with the right tools and political will.
He further called on state governments and traditional institutions to provide credible information from mining communities, noting that they are often the first to detect illegal activities.
The committee chairman assured licensed mining operators that the investigation was not targeted at law-abiding investors but aimed at protecting legitimate businesses from distortions created by illegal operators.
He also acknowledged the role of civil society organisations and the media in promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
Describing the workshop as a critical stage of the committee’s public hearing process, Abdulraheem said submissions from stakeholders would shape its final report to the House of Representatives.
“We are not here merely to catalogue problems. We are here to identify concrete legislative, regulatory, security and administrative solutions that will outlast this committee and any administration,” he said.
Declaring the workshop open, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, said the assignment given to the ad hoc committee was one of the most important before the country.
“For too long, unpatriotic elements have exploited Nigeria’s vast mineral resources, robbing the nation of enormous revenue and undermining its sovereignty,” Abbas said.
He warned that Nigeria cannot achieve economic diversification, fiscal stability and job creation if the solid minerals sector continues to suffer from illegality and opacity.
“This is not an inquisition. It is a partnership. Withhold nothing, speak plainly and proffer solutions,” the Speaker urged stakeholders.
Representing the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), Hajiya Fatima Usman Katsina commended the committee’s efforts and stressed the need to bridge policy and legislative gaps to strengthen governance in the solid minerals sector.
She said the forum remains committed to supporting initiatives aimed at improving transparency and maximising the sector’s potential for national and subnational development.
Meanwhile, the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, called for the establishment of a special court to fast-track the prosecution of illegal mining offenders.
Represented by the Commander of Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, Audi described illegal mining as a major driver of insecurity, organised crime and illicit financial flows in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the Mining Marshals have arrested more than 671 suspects since 2024, with 397 already charged to court.
According to him, operations against illegal miners have shut down several illegal mining sites, improved compliance with mining laws and contributed to a 337 per cent increase in mining revenue.
Audi also sought increased funding for drones, CCTV surveillance, a national mining situation room, improved logistics and manpower to sustain the fight against illegal mining.
