EFCC Reports 52 Illegal Mining Cases and Forfeits Minerals

Ola Olukoyede, the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), announced that from October 2023 to July 2026, the EFCC recorded 52 illegal mining cases and secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals. He delivered a keynote address at a conference organized by the Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies (MINILS) in Ilorin, Kwara State, themed “Uprooting the Roots of Resource Theft: A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Mining Corruption and Increasing Insecurity in Nigeria.” Olukoyede lamented that Nigeria is not fully benefiting from its mineral resources due to mining corruption, resource theft, and insecurity.

He described resource theft as a complex issue involving various actors, including financiers, buyers, and corrupt officials. He stressed the importance of a coordinated enforcement strategy that includes data sharing and joint intelligence among sector regulators, law enforcement, and other relevant institutions to effectively combat illegal mining.