Illegal Gold Mining Exposed in Edo Forest as NSCDC Arrests 19
By Akin Alade
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intensified the battle against the illegal exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources following the discovery of a suspected illegal gold mining operation deep inside an Edo State forest, leading to the arrest of 19 suspects.
The operation represents another significant move by security agencies to tackle activities capable of depriving the country of revenue from its potentially lucrative solid minerals sector.
The suspects were arrested on Friday, August 28, 2026, after operatives of the NSCDC Edo State Command’s Mining Marshal Unit stormed a suspected illegal mining site within the Okpella-Ososo-Egbetua forest axis, covering parts of Etsako East and Akoko-Edo Local Government Areas.
Edo State Commandant of the NSCDC, Saidi Akintayo, who disclosed details of the operation during a press conference in Benin City on Tuesday, said the raid followed credible intelligence and sustained surveillance of suspected illegal mining activities in the area.
Despite difficult terrain, poor road networks, hills and thick vegetation, the operatives reportedly penetrated the forest and located the mining site.
Nineteen suspects were arrested during the operation, while two others reportedly escaped into the surrounding forest.
Preliminary investigations by the NSCDC indicated that the suspects were allegedly involved in illegal gold mining, raising fresh concerns over the activities of unauthorised operators exploiting Nigeria’s mineral deposits outside established regulatory frameworks.
According to the command, 15 of those arrested allegedly worked for an individual popularly known as “Area,” while another four were said to be working for Mr Abu Mawain under the name Gravity Pillars Concept Ltd.
Both alleged leaders were said to be at large as of the time the NSCDC announced the arrests.
Security operatives also recovered several items from the suspected mining site, including a pumping machine, five head pans, 13 carpets or rugs, six shovels, 15 mobile phones, a power bank and four identity cards bearing the name Gravity Pillars Concept Ltd.
The discovery of equipment and the number of people allegedly operating at the site could further assist investigators in determining the structure and extent of the suspected mining activities.
Akintayo said efforts were ongoing to locate the two individuals alleged to be behind the operation and bring them in for investigation.
The arrested suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Beyond the arrests, the Edo operation again draws attention to the challenge of illegal mining in Nigeria and the need to ensure that the country’s mineral resources contribute meaningfully to government revenue, employment and sustainable economic development.
Unregulated mining activities can also pose environmental and security challenges, particularly when operations take place in forests and remote communities where effective monitoring may be difficult.
The latest NSCDC operation therefore sends a strong signal that the crackdown on illegal exploitation of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources is extending deeper into locations where unauthorised operators may previously have considered themselves beyond the reach of law enforcement.
With 19 suspects now in custody and the alleged masterminds still being sought, attention will turn to the outcome of the investigation and whether it could uncover a wider network behind suspected illegal gold mining activities in the affected areas of Edo State.
