The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), through its Mining Marshals, has sealed seven suspected illegal mineral buying and processing centres in Kontagora, Niger State, and arrested four suspects over alleged violations of the country’s mining laws.
The operation, carried out on June 12, followed intelligence reports indicating that several companies were operating without the required licences and purchasing strategic minerals from unverified sources, contrary to the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Regulations, 2011.
According to the Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Onoja, the affected facilities include 17 Mines & Minerals Limited, LALO Mining Limited, AL-YAMAN Global Concept Nigeria Limited, SIMASS Mining & Trading Company Limited, YMJ Minerals & Mines Nigeria Limited, Dating Company Industry Limited, and another mineral buying centre in the area.
Preliminary investigations revealed that some company representatives admitted purchasing minerals such as monazite from suppliers who only presented state or local government revenue receipts instead of legally required documents, including valid mining leases, Small-Scale Mining Leases (SSML), Licences to Purchase and Possess Minerals (LPPM), and Mineral Buying Centre Licences. Officials of some firms also reportedly failed to verify whether their suppliers had the legal authority to mine or sell the minerals.
Investigators further discovered that several of the companies could not provide documentary evidence showing they possessed the licences required to operate mineral buying centres. Authorities, however, said permits claimed by some firms would be verified with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and other relevant agencies.
The investigation found sufficient evidence of regulatory breaches and raised suspicions that some of the recovered minerals—including monazite, iron ore, and zircon, valued at several millions of naira—may have originated from illegal mining activities. Authorities recommended further investigations, prosecution where necessary, and the forfeiture of seized minerals to the Federal Government in line with existing laws.
Onoja reaffirmed the NSCDC’s commitment to intensifying its crackdown on illegal mining, stressing that eliminating buyers of illegally mined minerals is key to dismantling illegal mining networks across the country.
