By Isiaka Mustapha, Editor-in-Chief, People’s Securitry Monitor

The Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, has revealed a strong link between illegal mining activities and the growing threat of banditry across the country, describing illicit mining operations as a major source of funding and logistical support for criminal groups.

Onoja made the disclosure while speaking at the 4th Nigerian Nation Builders Annual Conference held at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja. He explained that criminal networks have increasingly infiltrated illegal mining sites, using proceeds from the unlawful extraction and sale of mineral resources to sustain their operations and strengthen criminal enclaves in various parts of the country.

According to him, efforts to sanitise the mining sector should not be viewed merely as regulatory enforcement but as a critical national security strategy. He noted that curbing illegal mining would significantly disrupt the financial networks that bankroll terrorism, banditry and other forms of organised crime, thereby contributing to improved security and economic stability. Onoja emphasised that protecting the nation’s mineral resources remains essential to cutting off the lifeline of criminal elements and restoring lawful activities within the mining industry.