The Commander of the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Assistant Commandant Attah John Onoja, has called for greater national control and strategic exploitation of Nigeria’s solid mineral resources to drive economic growth and national development.
Mr Onoja made the call while delivering a keynote presentation at the 4th Nigerian Nation Builders Annual Conference in Abuja.
The conference was themed, “Effective Harnessing and Utilization of Solid Minerals as Panacea for Nation Building in Nigeria.”
The Mining Marshals commander said Nigeria’s vast mineral resources could help strengthen the country’s economic sovereignty and reduce its dependence on crude oil revenues.
He said Nigeria had more than 44 commercially viable minerals spread across over 500 locations, but noted that the sector had contributed only marginally to the country’s Gross Domestic Product due to poor regulation, illegal mining and years of dependence on oil.
Mr Onoja described illegal mining as a major threat to national development, saying the practice fuels banditry, terrorism, money laundering and revenue losses.
He said nation building would remain difficult if strategic national assets continued to be exploited by criminal networks operating outside the law.
The commander said solid minerals offered Nigeria an opportunity to diversify its economy because deposits were distributed across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
According to him, properly harnessing the resources could create jobs, stimulate industrialisation, strengthen fiscal federalism and reduce the dependence of states on federal allocations.
Speaking from his experience leading the Mining Marshals, Mr Onoja said security operations had disrupted illegal mining activities and helped restore confidence among legitimate investors.
He said the specialised unit had restored more than 100 mining sites to their rightful owners and made about 700 arrests linked to illegal mining, with several cases already before the Federal High Court.
He explained that the Mining Marshals were established not only to enforce mining laws but also to protect legitimate mining title holders, secure mining communities and create a conducive environment for investment.
The commander also highlighted reforms aimed at formalising artisanal mining, promoting value addition, improving transparency in mining data and ensuring that host communities benefit from mining activities through enforceable development agreements.
Mr Onoja urged Nigeria to adopt what he described as “Strategic Resource Nationalism”, saying the country should draw lessons from nations such as Japan, China and India in prioritising national interests in the management of strategic resources.
He argued that mineral resources should no longer be treated merely as commodities for export, but as raw materials for industrialisation, technological development and national prosperity.
The conference also featured commendations for Mr Onoja over his role in protecting the country’s mineral resources and combating illegal mining.
Representing the Chairman of the occasion, Minister of Defence Christopher Musa, Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole (rtd.) commended the Mining Marshals commander for his professionalism and commitment to public service.
Mr Bankole described Mr Onoja as one of the emerging symbols of dedicated service in Nigeria’s extractive sector.
He said the commander’s efforts in leading the Mining Marshals had contributed to the fight against illegal mining, protection of government revenue and restoration of investor confidence in the sector.
He added that the activities of the specialised unit were important to the Federal Government’s efforts to use the solid minerals sector as a driver of economic transformation.
