The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Mining Marshals unit, established by Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo in partnership with Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake, has recorded mixed results in its first year of operations, as the Tinubu administration pushes to overhaul the country’s extractive sector.

The specialized unit was inaugurated on March 1, 2024, at the NSCDC Headquarters, with the official launch taking place on March 21, 2024, at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. The Marshals were created to protect mining sites, combat illegal mining, and clamp down on the widespread theft of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources—a problem previously cited as causing significant revenue losses and environmental damage across the country.

The initiative was conceived as part of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” for the extractive sector, which had previously struggled with enforcement and regulatory oversight. The unit commenced operations with 2,220 personnel, a number that has since grown to 2,670.

At a press conference marking the unit’s first anniversary in March 2025, Minister Dele Alake announced that the Marshals had arrested 327 suspects for illegal mining nationwide and that 143 individuals were undergoing prosecution across the country. The minister set a target for 2025 to secure the conviction of all 327 suspects already arraigned in court, stressing that this would enhance deterrence and enforce compliance in the mining sector.

In addition to arrests, the Marshals reclaimed 98 mining sites from illegal miners and identified 457 suspected illegal mining sites for future operations. The unit has operated across 10 states: Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Kaduna, Enugu, Abia, Kwara, and the Federal Capital Territory.

In notable prosecutions, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission secured the conviction of two foreigners, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, who were sentenced to prison by the Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, for illegal mining.

This followed earlier convictions in May 2024, when Duan Ya Hong and Xiao Yi each received one-year prison sentences for similar offences at the same court.

More recently, in December 2025, the Marshals arrested five men over illegal mining activities and impersonation in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. The suspects—Muhammed Aliyu, 39; Abdulrahman Hashimu, 32; Tahir Muhammed, 43; Awaje Abduljalal, 19; and Kabiru Adamu, 38—were found to be operating multiple illegal mining sites across Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa state and using a Toyota Hilux branded with NSCDC colours to evade checkpoints.

In August 2025, the unit sealed an illegal quarry site in Kuje Area Council, arresting 13 suspects who had been unlawfully exploiting a quarry lease belonging to another licensed mining firm for over seven months.

In May 2026, the Nigerian Army and the Mining Marshals conducted a joint operation, arresting 15 suspected illegal miners in Kuje Area Council. At the conclusion of investigations, Mohammadu Sani and 14 others were formally charged to court.

The unit has not been immune to controversy. In June 2025, a community in Nasarawa State accused the Marshals of alleged complicity in illegal mining activities, a case that was scheduled for court proceedings.

Additionally, in February 2026, the Federal Government vowed to intensify its crackdown after an NSCDC officer was killed during an operation in Niger State, underscoring the high-risk nature of the unit’s work.

Beyond law enforcement, the unit’s activities have been framed as part of broader sectoral reforms under President Tinubu. According to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, sector revenue has grown from ₦8.6 billion in 2022 to ₦38 billion in 2024, with ₦30 billion already recorded as of October 2025. The South West region alone contributed ₦7.2 billion, underscoring its emergence as a hub of responsible mining activity.

The reforms have also compelled mining companies to sign Community Development Agreements before commencing operations. In the South West, 45 communities signed CDAs within two years under the new framework—more than double what was achieved in the previous fifteen years.

Looking ahead, the Ministry has indicated that nationwide satellite surveillance of mining sites is expected to come onstream in 2026 to bolster the capacity of the Marshals. The government has also revoked over 3,700 mining titles for failure to pay annual service fees or for non-performance, in line with the “use it or lose it” principle.

The Mining Marshals remain active across the country as the administration pushes to formalize artisanal mining activities, strengthen geological data, and transform the sector into a major driver of job creation and sustainable growth.