(Illegal Mining. Photo by Africa Defense Forum)
Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has revealed that foreign nationals arrested in connection with illegal mining activities and suspected of links to terrorism have been transferred to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) for further investigation.
The minister made this disclosure on Friday while responding to questions on social media amid claims by some United States lawmakers alleging that illegal Chinese mining operations in Nigeria are being used to fund terrorist activities.
Although he did not specify the exact number of foreign nationals handed over to the NSA, Alake revealed that a total of 327 persons including foreign nationals have been arrested for illegal mining so far, with approximately 142 currently facing prosecution and around 3,000 mining licences revoked.
The minister credited the sector’s remarkable turnaround to President Tinubu’s strategic reforms, noting that revenue generated from solid minerals grew from ₦6 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion by December 2025.
He expressed confidence that the administration’s reform agenda would ultimately dismantle the decades-long grip of corruption and institutional weakness on Nigeria’s economy.
Alake also used the occasion to challenge industry stakeholders to cultivate the right mindset and a stronger sense of social responsibility in order to drive the sector to greater heights.
On the broader regional dimension of the issue, President Tinubu had previously sounded the alarm over the continued plundering of mineral resources across West Africa, describing it as a threat to regional stability.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at a NACIWA Annual General Meeting, the President called for resource theft and illegal mining to be designated as international crimes, and urged the global community to take a united stand against the theft of minerals from the region.
