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The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate allegations of financial misconduct involving the Mining Marshals, including claims that more than N2 billion was traced to the bank account of one of the unit’s State Commanders, as well as the source of funding for the outfit’s operations.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Abdulmaleek Danga during plenary, amid growing concerns over the activities, legal status and financial accountability of the specialised security outfit established to combat illegal mining across the country.
Moving the motion, Danga recalled that the Mining Marshals were inaugurated on March 21, 2024, through a collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Federal Ministry of Interior. He noted that the unit comprises over 2,200 personnel drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), operating under the provisions of Section 3 of the NSCDC Act and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
According to him, the Marshals were established to secure mining sites, curb illegal mining activities, tackle banditry in mineral-producing communities and safeguard government revenue from the solid minerals sector.
However, the lawmaker expressed concern that the unit had allegedly strayed from its core mandate.
He alleged that reports indicated the Mining Marshals lacked sufficient operational knowledge of the mining sector, resulting in the harassment and wrongful arrest of legitimate mineral title holders while presenting such actions as successful operations against illegal miners.
“The House is concerned by reports indicating a deviation from this mandate, characterised by allegations that the Mining Marshals lack deep operational knowledge of the mining sector, resulting in the wrongful apprehension and harassment of legitimate mineral title holders while misrepresenting these actions to the public as successful crackdowns on illegal operators,” Danga said.
The lawmaker further raised what he described as serious allegations of financial impropriety within the unit, particularly reports that more than N2 billion was discovered in the bank account of one of its State Commanders.
“The House is also concerned by grave allegations of financial impropriety within the unit, specifically the reported discovery of over N2bn in the bank account of a State Commander of the Mining Marshals,” he stated.
Danga told the House that rather than subjecting the officer to prosecution or disciplinary proceedings, the commander was allegedly redeployed, a development he said had fuelled public suspicion that the unit may have been compromised by powerful illegal mining syndicates.
“The House is worried that instead of a formal judicial inquiry, prosecution, or internal disciplinary action, the said Commander was merely redeployed, fuelling allegations that the Marshals are being compromised by affluent illegal mining syndicates,” he added.
The motion also questioned the transparency of the unit’s funding, citing the procurement and distribution of operational vehicles without any clearly identifiable legislative appropriation or budgetary allocation.
“The House is disturbed by the lack of fiscal transparency surrounding the unit, notably the recent procurement and allocation of operational vehicles to the Marshals without a clear record of legislative appropriation or budgetary allocation from the parent agency, thereby exposing the unit to extrabudgetary expenditure,” Danga said.
He warned that the alleged operational and financial irregularities, if left unchecked, could undermine investor confidence, encourage revenue leakages and worsen insecurity in Nigeria’s mining communities.
“The House is convinced that these operational and financial anomalies directly undermine Nigeria’s economic interests, resulting in mineral revenue leakages, heightened insecurity, and a deterioration of investor confidence in the solid minerals sector,” he said.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the operations of the Mining Marshals across the country.
Specifically, the committee is to determine whether the unit is operating within its legal mandate; investigate allegations of corruption, including the reported N2 billion linked to a former State Commander and any similar cases across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory; and examine the source of funding for the procurement of operational vehicles and other operational expenditures.
The panel is also expected to review the legal framework establishing the Mining Marshals, assess its organisational structure and compliance with existing laws, and recommend an internationally accepted and legally compliant security model for protecting Nigeria’s mining assets.
The committee was given four weeks to conclude its investigation and report back to the House for further legislative action.
