REPS PROBE N2BN LINKED TO MINING MARSHALS COMMANDER, FUNDING OF SPECIAL UNIT

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate allegations of financial misconduct, operational irregularities and the legal status of the Mining Marshals, including claims that more than N2bn was traced to the bank account of one of the unit’s State Commanders.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Mr Abdulmaleek Danga, who raised concerns over the activities of the specialised security outfit established to combat illegal mining across the country.

Leading the debate, Danga recalled that the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Interior, inaugurated the Mining Marshals on March 21, 2024.

The unit comprises over 2,200 personnel drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and was established under the provisions of Section 3 of the NSCDC Act and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

He said the Marshals were created to secure mining sites, combat illegal mining, curb banditry in mineral-producing communities and protect government revenue from the solid minerals sector.

However, the lawmaker alleged that the unit had deviated from its core mandate.

“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.

He further drew the attention of the House to what he described as “grave allegations of financial impropriety” within the unit.

“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 said.

According to Danga, rather than subjecting the officer to prosecution or disciplinary proceedings, the commander was allegedly redeployed, a development he said had fuelled public suspicion of compromise within the unit.

“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 stated.

The lawmaker also questioned the transparency of the unit’s finances, citing the procurement of operational vehicles without what he described as a clearly identifiable legislative appropriation or budgetary provision.

“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,” he said.

He warned that the alleged operational and financial lapses could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s economy.

“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,” Danga added.

Following the adoption of the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the operations of the Mining Marshals nationwide.

The committee is expected to determine whether the unit is operating within its legal mandate, investigate allegations of corruption, including the reported N2bn 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 expenditures.

Lawmakers also directed the panel to scrutinise the legal framework establishing the unit, its organisational structure and compliance with existing laws, with a view to recommending an internationally recognised and legally compliant security model for protecting mining assets.

The committee was given four weeks to conclude its investigation and report back to the House for further legislative action.

The Mining Marshals were launched in March 2024 by the Federal Government as a specialised security outfit to strengthen the fight against illegal mining, a longstanding challenge that has deprived Nigeria of substantial revenue, fuelled environmental degradation and contributed to insecurity in several mineral-rich communities.

Illegal mining has remained a major concern in states such as Zamfara, Niger, Nasarawa, Plateau and Kaduna, where criminal networks have been accused of exploiting the country’s mineral resources while evading regulatory oversight and tax obligations. The Federal Government has repeatedly identified the solid minerals sector as a key component of its strategy to diversify the economy away from dependence on oil revenues.