FG Intensifies War Against Illegal Mining as Alake Warns Miners to Stay Away From Abandoned Pits
FG Intensifies War Against Illegal Mining as Alake Warns Miners to Stay Away From Abandoned Pits
The Federal Government has renewed its campaign against illegal mining across Nigeria, with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, warning miners against entering abandoned mine pits without licences, professional supervision and appropriate safety measures.
The warning followed another mining tragedy in Plateau State, where the collapse of an abandoned tin-mining pit at an unlicensed site in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, reportedly claimed seven lives.
Alake said the incident highlighted the dangers associated with unregulated mining and stressed that Nigerians searching for livelihoods in the sector should operate within the law rather than expose themselves to avoidable risks.
According to the minister, the tragedy could potentially have been prevented if those involved had organised themselves into a cooperative and obtained the required mining permit.
He explained that formalisation would have given them access to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development’s artisanal mining department, including field training designed to promote safer mining practices and sustainable sources of income.
FG Steps Up Fight Against Illegal Mining in Nigeria
The latest warning comes amid the Federal Government’s broader efforts to curb illegal mining, strengthen regulation and reposition the solid minerals sector as an important contributor to Nigeria’s economic diversification programme.
The government has increasingly argued that Nigeria’s vast mineral resources must be exploited legally and responsibly if the country is to derive maximum economic benefits while protecting miners, host communities and the environment.
In May, Alake disclosed that the nationwide crackdown had resulted in the arrest of more than 327 people, including foreign nationals, over alleged illegal mining activities. He said 142 suspects were facing prosecution, while approximately 3,000 mining licences had been revoked as part of reforms in the sector.
The government has also deployed mining marshals as part of its security architecture to tackle illegal operations, mineral theft and other unlawful activities around mining locations.
However, repeated mine accidents suggest that enforcement must be combined with greater public education, formalisation of artisanal miners and stronger monitoring of abandoned mining sites.
Abandoned Mining Pits Becoming Serious Safety Concern
The Plateau incident is not the first recent tragedy linked to abandoned mining sites.
In February 2026, the Federal Government ordered the closure of a mining site in Zuraq, Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, following deaths associated with an abandoned lead-mining pit.
The recurrence of such incidents underscores the need for authorities to identify and secure abandoned mines across the country before they become death traps for desperate artisanal miners and surrounding communities.
State governments, traditional institutions and host communities could also play greater roles by reporting illegal mining activities and discouraging residents from entering dangerous mining locations.
At the same time, simply shutting down illegal sites may not completely solve the problem where poverty and unemployment continue to push people into informal mining.
Government therefore needs to provide a clear pathway through which artisanal miners can register, form cooperatives, receive technical and safety training, obtain legitimate licences and participate in the sector without endangering their lives.
Nigeria’s Mineral Wealth Must Benefit Nigerians
Nigeria possesses significant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, lead, zinc, coal and several other commercially valuable minerals. Properly developed, the sector could create jobs, attract investment, generate foreign exchange and reduce the country’s dependence on crude oil.
The Federal Government has consequently identified solid minerals as an important component of its economic diversification strategy and has been pursuing reforms aimed at improving licensing, environmental compliance and investor confidence.
But uncontrolled mining can produce the opposite result — loss of lives, environmental degradation, revenue leakages, insecurity and the illegal movement of valuable Nigerian resources outside formal economic channels.
The fight against illegal mining should therefore extend beyond arrests.
Authorities need stronger surveillance of mining communities, proper geological information, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, closure or rehabilitation of dangerous abandoned pits and greater support for legitimate artisanal miners.
Recent mining disasters have already attracted concern from the National Assembly. In July, the Senate called for an overhaul of the country’s solid minerals sector following a deadly mining incident in Kogi State, with lawmakers raising concerns about safety, regulation and environmental consequences.
From Illegal Mining to Responsible Investment
Alake’s warning should therefore serve as another opportunity for Nigeria to intensify the transition from largely informal and dangerous mineral extraction to properly regulated commercial mining.
The country’s mineral resources should create prosperity rather than graves.
For this to happen, miners must obey licensing and safety regulations, while government must ensure that legitimate operators have reasonable access to permits, training and financing.
Host communities must also benefit from mining activities through employment, infrastructure and environmental protection.
The ultimate objective should be to build a mining industry where Nigeria’s mineral wealth is extracted safely, processed locally and transformed into jobs, government revenue, exports and sustainable economic development.
The deaths in Plateau State are another painful reminder of the cost of illegal and unsafe mining.
As the Federal Government intensifies its campaign against illegal mining, enforcement must now be matched with formalisation, education and investment to ensure that Nigerians seeking opportunities from the country’s enormous mineral deposits can do so legally, safely and profitably.
