By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate allegations of financial misconduct, operational irregularities and the legal status of the Mining Marshals, including claims that over N2 billion was traced to the bank account of one of the unit’s State Commanders.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Abdulmaleek Danga during plenary on Wednesday.
Moving the motion, Danga recalled that the Mining Marshals were inaugurated on March 21, 2024, by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Interior.
The specialised unit, comprising over 2,200 personnel drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was established to combat illegal mining, protect mining sites and safeguard government revenue.
He, however, alleged that the outfit had strayed from its mandate, accusing its operatives of harassing legitimate mineral title holders while presenting such actions as crackdowns on illegal miners.
The lawmaker also raised concerns over alleged financial impropriety within the unit, claiming that more than N2 billion was discovered in the bank account of a State Commander.
According to him, rather than facing prosecution or disciplinary action, the officer was allegedly redeployed, raising public suspicion that the unit may have been compromised by illegal mining syndicates.
Danga further questioned the transparency of the unit’s finances, citing the procurement of operational vehicles without a clearly identifiable legislative appropriation or budgetary provision.
He warned that the alleged operational and financial lapses were undermining Nigeria’s solid minerals sector through revenue leakages, rising insecurity and declining investor confidence.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the operations of the Mining Marshals nationwide.
The committee is to determine whether the unit is operating within its legal mandate, investigate allegations of corruptionnincluding the reported N2 billion linked to a former State Commander and similar cases across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory and examine the source of funding for the procurement of operational vehicles and other expenditures.
Lawmakers also directed the panel to review the legal framework establishing the unit, its organisational structure and compliance with existing laws, with a view to recommending a legally compliant and internationally recognised security model for protecting mining assets.
The committee was given four weeks to submit its report for further legislative action.
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