Niger State’s efforts to develop its solid minerals sector are being undermined by insecurity, illegal mining and weak enforcement, with legitimate miners unable to access some mineral-rich areas while illegal operators continue excavating near residential communities.

Miners say kidnappings have forced some companies to suspend exploration activities and spend millions of naira on ransom payments for abducted workers. At the same time, residents in parts of Minna have raised concerns over illegal excavations around homes, places of worship and other structures.

The situation has heightened concerns about the state’s ability to attract investment, generate revenue from its mineral resources, enforce mining regulations and protect communities.

Miners pay for licences but cannot operate

Chairman of the Miners Association of Nigeria, MAN, Niger State chapter, Abdulrazak Yusuf Mohammed, said insecurity was affecting mining operations in about 17 of the state’s 25 local government areas where members operate.

Mohammed told DAILY POST that most exploration activities were carried out in forests and remote locations that had become increasingly unsafe because of banditry and kidnapping.

“Most of our operations, from exploration to other activities, are in the bushes and forests. So, these issues of insecurity are in the forests where we operate,” he said.

He disclosed that more than 20 people linked to mining activities had been kidnapped in the Borgu area alone, forcing miners to raise millions of naira to secure their release.

According to him, some companies were paying royalties and renewing mining licences without being able to access their concessions.

“Some of the licences you’ll be paying the royalty for will expire without exploration, and you cannot operate. You go and renew the licence, and you cannot operate,” he said.

Mohammed estimated the losses suffered by miners at billions of naira, although the figure has not been independently audited.

He identified Suleja and parts of Munya, Shiroro and Rafi as areas where mining activities were relatively stable, while parts of Borgu, including Kaade, Babanna, Konkoso and Pisa, had been severely affected by insecurity.

He said attacks on some villages had also forced residents to relocate, making it difficult for mining companies to continue operating in the affected communities.

Illegal mining spreads to residential areas

While licensed miners struggle to access some concessions because of insecurity, residents in parts of Minna say illegal mining is taking place close to their homes.

A resident of Tunga, Mallam Bala, told DAILY POST that illegal miners had been removing sand from areas around homes and gutters in search of gold.

Residents of the M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate also complained about repeated excavations, with one resident, Mrs Teni Musa, saying illegal miners continued returning despite raids by security agencies.

Another resident alleged that miners dug underground from a distance until they reached a residential building, causing part of the house’s parlour to collapse.

Pastor Peter Luka also said illegal excavation had extended towards his church, damaging its fence and creating concerns about nearby buildings.

Residents said disputes sometimes broke out over mining pits and control of mining locations, with some clashes reportedly resulting in deaths.

Some residents said they were unwilling to speak publicly about the activities because of fears of attacks.

Police arrest more than 100 suspects

The Niger State Police Command said it had been working with the Ministry of Mineral Resources and the NSCDC Mining Marshals to shut down illegal mining operations and raid identified sites.

Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abubakar, said M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate, the College of Education area in Chanchaga and the Mandela area were among locations where enforcement operations had been conducted.

He said more than 100 suspects had been arrested within the year.

However, he noted that some suspects were fined during prosecution and later returned to illegal mining.

“They pay fines and later return to their illegal activities, thereby recycling them,” the police spokesperson said.

Abubakar added that the command was working with the NSCDC and vigilante groups to provide security for licensed miners in areas including Kataeregi, Maikunkele and Beji.

He said operators in areas affected by banditry remained particularly difficult to protect.

NSCDC charges 29 suspects to court

The Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, said its Mining Marshals had also arrested more than 100 suspected illegal miners in 2026.

The command’s spokesperson, DSC Abubakar M.R. Muti, said about 29 suspects had been charged to court.

He added that some minors arrested during the operations were granted bail in line with the law and their ages.

According to Muti, the Corps was combining arrests with intelligence gathering, surveillance, community engagement and cooperation with other relevant agencies to prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared sites.

Illegal mining operation claims NSCDC officer

The dangers faced by security personnel enforcing mining regulations were highlighted on July 22 when an NSCDC officer was killed during an operation at an illegal mining site in Korokpa village, Paikoro Local Government Area.

The deceased, Assistant Superintendent of Corps II, Aminu Eshin, was attached to the NSCDC Mining Marshals and was part of a team conducting a patrol when suspected illegal miners attacked the operatives.

The command said the team called for reinforcement after coming under attack, but Eshin sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

He was evacuated for medical treatment but later died from his injuries.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago condemned the killing and directed security agencies to intensify efforts to arrest those responsible.

The incident came months after another NSCDC officer was killed during an attack on a joint security patrol at Zuzungi in Katcha Local Government Area in February. An operational vehicle was also burnt during the attack.

The incidents have heightened concerns over the risks faced by security personnel operating in areas where illegal mining and insecurity overlap.

Government moves to tighten regulation

The Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources said it was responding to the challenges through tighter regulation, enforcement and collaboration with traditional institutions and security agencies.

The ministry said 121 mining companies had registered with the state.

Commissioner for Mineral Resources, Muhammed Qasim Danjuma, told DAILY POST that the state generated more than N75 million from solid minerals between January and June 2026.

Danjuma said he assumed office in December 2025 and inherited several challenges in the sector, but began efforts to address them from January.

“I came on board as Commissioner in December 2025 and met a lot of issues. We handled them and started working properly in January,” he said.

“The efforts had started yielding revenue, with the state generating more than N75 million between January and June.”

The commissioner said illegal mining was limiting the state’s revenue potential and that the government was working to attract legitimate local and foreign investors.

He said mining companies seeking state clearance were required to reclaim mined land after extraction to prevent environmental damage and hazards to residents.

Companies were also expected to identify areas where host communities could benefit from their operations, including water supply, healthcare and education.

Traditional rulers demand stronger security

Concerns over insecurity and illegal mining were also raised during a stakeholders’ meeting between the Ministry of Mineral Resources and traditional rulers from mining communities on August 3.

The Yankpa of Kataeregi called for compliance with mining laws and warned against criminal activities being carried out under the guise of mining.

The Dagaci of Kataeregi called for stronger security intervention, saying repeated attacks had resulted in loss of lives and hindered development.

The traditional rulers also expressed concern over the involvement of women and children in illegal mining, including cases where children abandoned formal education to work at mining sites.

Participants proposed community-based security structures to complement conventional security agencies and improve intelligence gathering around mining locations.

Danjuma said the ministry would collaborate with relevant agencies to address the concerns and announced plans for another meeting involving security chiefs and traditional rulers.

Challenges extend beyond Niger

The problems confronting Niger State reflect wider challenges facing Nigeria as the country seeks to diversify its economy away from oil and unlock the potential of its solid minerals sector.

The Nigeria Geological Survey Agency has ongoing exploration and evaluation projects in several states, including Niger, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kogi, Kebbi, Cross River, Osun, Kwara, Taraba and Plateau.

Its activities cover minerals such as gold, lithium-bearing pegmatites, barytes and other resources, highlighting the country’s extensive mineral deposits.

Zamfara is one example of how insecurity has disrupted mining activities.

The Federal Government suspended mining activities in the state in 2019 because of security concerns before lifting the suspension in December 2024 following improvements in the security situation.

Nasarawa has faced similar challenges following the rapid expansion of lithium mining.

In June 2024, the state government shut down a lithium operation in Kokona Local Government Area for allegedly operating without community consent and state approval. Its manager was later arrested in December after the company reportedly continued operating.

An Associated Press investigation in December 2024 also found children working in illegal lithium mines in Pasali, including a six-year-old girl who had stopped attending school.

Enforcement challenges persisted in 2026.

On May 16, NSCDC Mining Marshals arrested 15 Chinese nationals and nine Nigerians in Kokona over alleged illegal lithium mining. The 24 suspects were later arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

On July 19, three Chinese nationals and several Nigerian miners were again arrested during an operation at Amba in Kokona over alleged illegal mining despite a government suspension order.

The developments highlight how illegal extraction, child labour and enforcement challenges continue to affect mining communities beyond Niger State.

Revenue potential remains largely untapped

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, reported that government revenue from the solid minerals sector stood at N401.86 billion in 2023.

Of that amount, N392.28 billion was transferred to the Federation Account, while N9.58 billion represented payments to states and local governments.

The figure represents reported government revenue from the sector and does not reflect the total value of Nigeria’s mineral deposits.

Similarly, the N75 million generated by Niger State between January and June represents government revenue and not the value of minerals extracted during the period.

The disparity between Nigeria’s vast mineral resources and the revenue generated from the sector remains a concern, particularly where minerals are extracted outside the formal system.

Enforcement remains a major challenge

The repeated return of illegal miners after enforcement operations remains one of the biggest difficulties confronting authorities.

The police said some suspects pay fines after prosecution before returning to illegal mining, while the NSCDC said it was strengthening surveillance of cleared sites to prevent reoccupation.

For residents of M.I. Wushishi Housing Estate and other affected communities, the concern is immediate as they want excavations around their homes stopped before more buildings are damaged or lives are lost.

Licensed miners, on the other hand, want improved security that will allow them to access their concessions and utilise licences for which they have already paid.

The state government is seeking greater revenue and investment from the sector, but accounts from miners, residents and security agencies indicate that regulation alone may not be enough to resolve the challenges.

For Niger State, the task is to secure legitimate mining operations, prevent illegal miners from returning to cleared locations and protect communities from dangerous excavations while ensuring that the state’s mineral resources create jobs and generate sustainable revenue.

Until these challenges are addressed, Niger’s ambition to turn its mineral wealth into a stronger driver of economic growth will remain constrained by insecurity, illegal mining and the risks facing communities in mineral-rich areas.