The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mining Marshals have formally petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, urging the National Assembly to disregard what they described as “false, disparaging and politically motivated” allegations made against the unit by Hon. Abdullahi Danga, member representing Adavi/Okehi Federal Constituency of Kogi State.
In an eight-page letter dated July 24, 2026, signed by the Commander of the Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, the unit maintained that the lawmaker’s motion on the floor of the House contained unfounded claims intended to undermine the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector under the leadership of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake.
The Mining Marshals argued that while they hold in high regards the constitutional and oversight responsibilities of the National Assembly, the allegations were capable of gravely discouraging the officers and men risking their lives to combat illegal mining in very difficult terrains across the country.
According to the letter, the House member’s claims were largely based on allegations earlier made by a police officer, CSP Abdulmajeed Abisoye Oyewumi of ForceIntelligence Department, which the Marshals said had already been publicly refuted with documentary evidence, including bank statement of the alleged officer and official rejoinders published in national newspapers.
The unit further alleged that the said police officer has been faulted as liable to face criminal prosecution over the alleged facilitation of the escape of foreign nationals standing trial for illegal mining offences, insisting that the circumstances surrounding the case exposed the motive behind the allegations.
The Mining Marshals also rejected claims that they had misappropriated public funds, stressing that the unit operates with limited logistics support from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the NSCDC, and has never received or diverted any public funds, contrary to the allegations in the lawmaker’s motion.
Highlighting its achievements since inception, the unit stated that its operations had led to the disruption of numerous illegal mining sites, seizure of mining equipment, arrests, and prosecution of suspects, while significantly improving compliance with mining regulations nationwide.
It added that the operations had contributed to increased government revenue from the mining sector, citing official figures indicating that sectoral revenue rose from about N6 billion in 2023 to over N70 billion by June 2026, representing a substantial increase attributed to ongoing reforms underaken by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, including Mining Marshals intensified enforcement efforts.
The Mining Marshals further noted that their collaboration with the military and other security agencies had strengthened enforcement efforts, while several suspects arrested during operations are being prosecuted before the Federal High Court.
The Commander appealed to members of the National Assembly, industry stakeholders and the general public to disregard what he described as malicious attempts to discredit the Mining Marshals and the gains being recorded by the Federal Government, assuring Nigerians that the unit would remain committed to sanitising the mining sector and enforcing the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, the Mining Regulations of 2011 and periodic Government policies geared towards a better, safer and sanitized mining sector.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Commandant-General of the NSCDC and the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals Development.
