– Deploys satellite surveillance
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — In a decisive move to curb financial crimes and terrorism financing linked to the mining sector, the Federal Government of Nigeria is partnering with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, investigate, and prosecute illicit activities, particularly those connected to solid minerals exploitation.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed this after receiving a delegation from UNODC led by Mr. Tom Parker, during a high-level meeting in Abuja.
“The initiative is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes linked to conflict and terrorism, particularly those associated with the solid minerals sector,” Dr. Alake said.
The UNODC team commended recent Nigerian efforts to tackle illegal mining, specifically the establishment of the Mining Marshals, a dedicated security outfit launched earlier this year. The Marshals, according to the Minister, have already begun arresting and prosecuting illegal operators across mining hotspots.
“Since their deployment, the Marshals have been active in arresting and prosecuting illegal miners. Encouragingly, we are already seeing a shift, as many operators are now working to regularise their activities and comply with the law.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the deployment of a satellite-based monitoring system to enhance real-time surveillance of mining operations nationwide. The system is expected to revolutionize oversight in the sector by enabling instant detection of illegal activities and prompt response by security agencies.
“This will allow us to identify incidents in real time and ensure timely intervention by security personnel,” Alake revealed, stressing the importance of modern tools in addressing systemic exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
The partnership with UNODC, Dr. Alake emphasized, is central to the government’s strategy to safeguard national resources and disrupt terror-linked illicit financial flows often concealed within the solid minerals value chain.
“We welcome the support of the UNODC in this critical effort. Strengthening our institutional capacity to combat illicit financial flows and criminal activity in the mining sector is essential to protecting Nigeria’s natural resources and national security,” the Minister stated.
The collaboration signals Nigeria’s increasing focus on leveraging international expertise and technology in restoring order to the extractive industries, an area historically plagued by illegal mining, lost revenue, and environmental degradation.
