How Illegal Mining Fuels Instability and Opens the Door for Terrorist Organizations-Expert
Folalumi Alaran in Abuja
While Nigeria is richly endowed with natural resources, the wealth lying beneath the earth in Zamfara, Niger, and Kaduna has almost become a curse.
Speaking in an interview, an anti-terrorism financing expert, Tayo Yusuf, said
Illegal mining has not only be fuelling local conflicts but fuelling a dangerous cocktail of instability, terrorism, and economic sabotage.
According to him these, if left unchecked, could deepen the security challenges in Nigeria and bring even more foreign influence into the region, including Russian-backed militias. It is in this light that illegal mining has become an ingredient that brews instability:
Yusuf also said there is a nexus between Illegal Mining and Instability.
He said, “Gold and other mineral activities are at the heart of Nigeria’s illegal mining crisis. A 2023 report from the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Nigeria showed that more than 80% of mining activities across Zamfara, Niger, and Kaduna states are unregulated. The report added that the Nigerian government loses about $2 billion in revenue annually to illegal mining. A probe carried out by the Nigerian Extractive Industries
“Transparency Initiative and published in March 2023, pinned illegal mining at the core of armed banditry and terrorist activities, especially in northern Nigeria, with massive amounts of illegally mined gold said to have been smuggled into neighboring countries like Niger and Mali. These illegal activities have caused a series of violence in rural mining communities.
“For example, Amnesty International reported that from January to July 2023, there were more than 2,000 abductions in relation to mining site disputes in Zamfara State alone. Some militants and bandits impose levies or “taxes” on miners and local communities, while other actors seize the mining sites for themselves in order to use the proceeds to buy arms and finance their operations.”
Connections to Terrorism
Yusuf also noted that the proceeds from illegal mining operations have for some time now been connected to the financing of terrorist organizations.
According to him groups such as Boko Haram and its offshoots, and bandit groups operating in the North, are likely to use such revenues from illicit mining to continue their operations. The money will go toward the purchase of sophisticated weaponry, recruitment of fighters, and the establishment of logistical networks through which counterterrorism efforts will be exceedingly hard to penetrate.
“Furthermore, the secretive nature of illegal mining encourages money laundering. Some kinds of precious metals sourced through illicit mining are sold out on the black market or exported, through untraceable channels, into liquid cash for terrorist organizations. This further strengthens the financial ecosystems of groups committed to destabilizing Nigeria and the broader Sahel region,” he added.
The Threat from Foreign Influence
Yusuf noted that If domestic impacts were not serious enough, illegal mining risks drawing in external actors.
According to him, in July 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report labeling West Africa as an emerging flashpoint in the domain of natural resources-related transnational organized crime. Meanwhile, in this period, intelligence estimates pointed to the generally increasing tempo of Russian-supported operations in Sahel countries surrounding Mali, using Wagner and other groups reinforced by access to gold and other mineral wealth. Wagner has built a reputation across Africa as an exploiter of mineral wealth in fragile countries, including Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Mali, among others, often cloaked in promises of security assistance to beleaguered governments.
With Wagner-backed mercenaries increasingly active in the Sahel, a region just across Nigeria’s northern border, it is not hard to imagine Wagner-linked militias making inroads into Nigeria. Their modus operandi is to form alliances with local actors-ranging from corrupt officials to militant groups-with the aim of extracting mineral wealth in return for weapons, training, and protection. This breeds an exploitative and self-reinforcing dynamic wherein host nations progressively become rid of sovereignty over their own resources and security.
Breaking the Cycle
Dealing with illegal mining in Nigeria requires an elaborate approach that brings together enforcement, economic development, and international collaboration.
- Strengthening Enforcement and Oversight
It is vital to build the capacity of agencies at the frontlines of regulating the mining sector, such as the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, to deploy advanced technologies of surveillance, monitor sites, engage robust tracking systems of minerals, and break down silos in terms of communication among government agencies. Not to mention the relevant crack down on smuggling rings, inasmuch as illegal mining relies upon getting goods across porous borders. - Engaging Local Communities
These communities often engage in illegal mining activities out of necessity, not malice. Offering other livelihood opportunities-through formalized mining cooperatives, agricultural programs, or vocational training-can reduce dependency on such illicit activities. Government-led efforts to formalize artisanal mining should be inclusive and transparent to gain the trust of the locals. - Breaking Terror Financing Networks
Utilizing the anti-money laundering framework of Nigeria is one sure way to reduce illegal mining funding entering terrorist circles. This would involve training financial institutions to identify and report suspicious transactions associated with mineral smuggling; law enforcement agencies must ensure that offenders of such are prosecuted under existing anti-terrorism laws. - Partnership at the Regional and International Levels
Illegal mining is, therefore, a transboundary problem; it is not a problem that could be independently handled by any country, let alone Nigeria. In all these, there is a need for collaboration between Nigeria and neighbors, and international organizations such as FATF and INTERPOL to share intelligence, harmonize regulatory frameworks, and dismantle transnational criminal networks. Besides, Nigeria has the opportunity to proactively join on-going international initiatives on responsible gold supply chains.
A Warning and an Opportunity
The consequences of doing nothing are similarly stark: a more intractable terrorist threat, further economic losses, and the risk that foreign-backed militias will exploit Nigeria’s weakness. Equally, this crisis is an opportunity for the reform and strengthening of Nigeria’s governance overc its natural resources. Concrete action would allow Nigeria to harness mineral wealth as a driver for development, not destruction.
The clock is ticking. As illegal mining networks grow more sophisticated, so too will the threats they pose to Nigeria’s sovereignty and stability. It is time to take a stand-not just in the interest of today’s security but in respect of the future of a united and prosperous Nigeria.
