EFCC to target financiers, buyers in illegal mining crackdown, says Olukoyede
- EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede says the agency will go after those who fund and buy illegally mined minerals, not just miners at sites.
- He spoke in Ilorin at a workshop on illegal mining, corruption and insecurity organised by MINILS and HEDA.
- The EFCC recorded 52 illegal mining cases and forfeited 102 tonnes of solid minerals between October 2023 and July 2026.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said it will shift its fight against illegal mining from arresting miners at excavation sites to targeting the people who finance the trade, buy the minerals and protect the operations.
EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede said this on Tuesday in Ilorin, Kwara State, at a public lecture and capacity-building workshop organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).
He said illegal mining is run by sophisticated networks involving local and international players, and that arresting only the young men digging at sites would not solve the problem.
“A serious enforcement strategy must move from the pit to the purse,” Olukoyede said, explaining that the commission would follow the money behind illegal mining.
Why it matters for ordinary Nigerians
Nigeria has large deposits of gold, lithium, tin, lead and zinc, but the country is not getting the full economic benefit, according to Olukoyede. He blamed corruption, illegal exploitation and insecurity.
The EFCC chairman linked illegal mining to insecurity, saying unregulated mining creates room for extortion, smuggling, violence, disputes over territory and the financing of other crimes.
He said the commission recorded 52 illegal mining cases between October 2023 and July 2026 and secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals.
Olukoyede also warned that public officials who use their positions to help illegal mining, manipulate licences or launder proceeds from stolen minerals will not be spared.
He clarified that the EFCC does not issue mining licences and is not the sector regulator. Its focus, he said, is on suspected corruption, fraud, money laundering and the proceeds of crime.
He called for stronger cooperation among mining regulators, financial intelligence agencies, law enforcement, customs and revenue agencies to share intelligence and coordinate investigations.
He also urged traditional rulers, community groups, youth groups, civil society and local leaders to report suspicious mining activities.
Earlier, MINILS Director-General Issa Aremu said the conference was important for strengthening labour education and addressing emerging challenges affecting workers and the environment. He commended the EFCC under Olukoyede for its efforts.
HEDA Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju said illegal mining, corruption and climate degradation are connected and require coordinated responses from government, labour and civil society.
What happens next
The EFCC says it will investigate financiers and facilitators, trace illicit proceeds, recover criminal assets and prosecute suspects based on evidence. The agency is also seeking closer coordination with other government bodies to track the entire mining value chain, from licence holders to buyers and beneficiaries.
