Mining Marshals at One: Alake Vows Fiercer Battle Against Illegal Mining

– Marshals to be bolstered by improved logistics, ammunition

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has declared that there will be no hiding place for illegal miners in the country as efforts to strengthen operations of the mining marshals and ensure nationwide coverage are in the offing.

Addressing a press conference to mark the one-year anniversary of the corps on Friday, the minister emphasized that the establishment of the mining marshals last year has significantly disrupted unauthorized mining activities and restored investor confidence in the sector.

“The activation of the corps to enforce provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA) has struck fear into illegal operators, largely curbing their operations and serving as a deterrent,” Alake stated.

According to him, “the mining marshals held direct engagements across 10 states of Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Kaduna, Enugu, Abia, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory leading to the arrest of 327 suspected illegal miners; arraignment of 143 suspects; recovery of 98 mining sites and identification of 457 illegal mining sites.”

While the marshals’ operations have been somewhat hampered by logistical constraints, Alake reassured that with the increased budgetary allocation for the Ministry in the 2025 fiscal year, such limitations would be addressed.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly for appropriating a budget commensurate with the huge responsibilities of the ministry in the 2025 Appropriation Act.

This funding, he noted, will enable the ministry to fully equip the mining marshals, enhance their operational capabilities, and extend their coverage nationwide.

It will be recalled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved N2.5bn for the deployment of satellite technology to enhance the security architecture of the mining sector which will consequently aid the operations of the mining marshals.

With the deployment of satellite monitoring, the federal government would be pioneering air and ground coverage for the security of the solid minerals sector – a major milestone in efforts to sanitise the sector.

Assessing the impact of the mining marshals over the past one year, the minister asserted that 2,220 corps at inception which has now been scaled up to 2, 670 operatives have raised awareness of the enforcement capacity of the federal government to combat illegal mining, establishing considerable deterrence among illegal miners and contributed to substantial increase in revenue, generated from the sector.

The minister also commended the Commandant of the Mining Marshals, ACC John Attah Onoja, for his leadership and dedication, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to further strengthen the corps with better logistics, additional personnel, equipment, and ammunition to decisively eliminate illegal mining.

In his remarks, Commandant ACC Onoja expressed gratitude to the minister for his guidance and support, noting that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) approved by the minister has contributed immensely to the successes recorded over the past 365 days.

He welcomed the federal government’s gesture to boost their operations with improved logistics, emphasising that the corps is motivated to ramp up the battle against illegal mining with a view to sanitizing the mining sector.

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March 29, 2025
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Tinubu Approves Reconstitution of New Management for River Basin Authorities

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of the top management of 12 River Basin Development Authorities with the mandate of effectively developing and managing the country’s water resource for national development.

A statement yesterday by Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, listed the management team for the 12 River Basin Development Authorities and their coverage areas. They are as follows: Ogun- Osun River Basin Development Authority, Abeokuta (Lagos, Oyo, Ogun and Osun) Odebunmi Olusegun – Chairman (Oyo); Adedeji Ashiru – Managing Director (Osun); Ayo Oyalowo – Executive Director, Finance (Oyo); Dokunmu Olufemi Oyekunle – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Ogun); Suleiman Oris – Executive Director, Agric Services (Lagos); Sowade Oluwakayode Adebayo – Executive Director, Engineering (Lagos).

Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority, Yola (Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi) Sanusi Mohammed Babantanko – Chairman (Bauchi), Samuel Mahmud Mohammed – Managing Director (Taraba); Usman Babandubu Bakare – Executive Director, Engineering (Taraba); Ibrahim Dasuki Jalo – Executive Director Finance (Gombe); Isa Matori – Executive Director, Planning and Design Part of Bauchi; Hamman Dikko – Executive Director, Agric Services (Adamawa).

Chad Basin Development Authority Maiduguri (Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa) Abdu Dauda – Chairman (Borno); Tijjani Musa Tumsa – Managing Director (Yobe); Bashir Baale – Executive Director, Finance (Yobe); lliyasu Muazu – Executive Director, Agric Services (Adamawa); Mohammed Shettima – Executive Director, Engineering (Borno); Vrati Nzonzo – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Borno).

Benin-Owena Development Authority (Edo, Delta North, Ondo and Ekiti) Mike Ohio Ezomo – Chairman (Edo); Femi Adekanbi – Managing Director (Ondo); Austin Nonyelim Izagbo – Executive Director Planning and Design (Delta); Johnson Oghuma – Executive Director, Agric Services (Edo); Adegboyega Bamisile – Executive Director Finance (Ekiti); Bayode Akinduro – Executive Director Engineering (Ondo).

Niger-Delta Basin Development Authority (Rivers, Bayelsa and parts of Delta) Ebikemi Boi Bosin – Chairman (Delta); Amgbare Ebitimi – Managing Director (Bayelsa); Mary Alagoa – Executive Director Finance (Rivers); Chucks Erhire – Executive Director, Engineering Services (Delta); Felix Kurogha – Executive Director Agric Services (Bayelsa); Nnamdi Akani – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Rivers).

Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority Minna (Niger, Kaduna and FCT) Haruna Y. Usman –l Chairman (Niger); Aliyu Tajudeen – Managing Director (Kaduna); Mohammed Usma – Executive Director, Finance (Niger); Abdullahi A. Kutso – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Niger); Ayuba Waziri Tedde – Executive Director, Agric services (FCT); John Hassan – Executive Director, Engineering (Kaduna).

Lower Niger River Basin Development Authority, Ilorin (Kwara and Kogi) Abdullateef Alakawa – Chairman (Kwara);

George Olumoroti – Managing Director (Kogi); Babajamu Adeniran – Executive Director, Engineering (Kwara); Abdullahi Sadiq – Executive Director, Agric Services (Kogi); Alanamu Ayinla Abolere – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Kwara); Abidemi Adeyemi – Executive Director Finance (Kogi).

Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Makurdi (Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Kogi) Amos Gizo Yadukso – Chairman ( Plateau ); Ninga Terese – Managing Director (Benue); Sunday Kubba Hassan – Executive Director, Planning (Plateau); Yusuf Omaaki – Executive Director, Finance (Nasarawa); Hassan Omale – Executive Director, Agric Services (Kogi); Okibe Timothy Ogomola – Executive Director, Engineering (Benue).

Anambra – Imo River Basin Development Authority, Owerri (Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi) Emmanuel Anosike – Chairman (Anambra); Emeka Nduka – Managing Director (Imo); Nwebonyi Priscilla Nkechi – Executive Director Finance (Ebonyi); Evaristus Asadu – Executive Director, Engineering (Enugu); Onukwubiri N.Ojigwe – Executive Director, Agric Services (Abia); Abigail Igwe – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Anambra).

Hadejia Jamaere River Basin Development Authority, Kano (Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi) Mamman Da’u Aliyu – Chairman (Jigawa);

Rabiu Suleiman Bichi – Managing Director Director (Kano); Tijjani Musa Isa – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Jigawa);

Zainab Gamawa – Executive Director Agric Services (Bauchi); Baffa Dandatti Abdulkadir – Executive Director, Engineering (Kano);

.Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso – Executive Director Finance (Kano).

Cross River Basin Development Authority (Cross River and Akwa Ibom) Wabilly Nyiam – Chairman (Cross River); Glory Ekpo Oho – Managing Director (Akwa Ibom); Effiwatt Otu Eyo – Executive Director Finance (Cross River); Ebiere Etuk Udoh – Executive Director, Agric Services (Akwa Ibom); Charles Usua Akpan – Executive Director, Engineering (Akwa Ibom); Ndom Abia -Executive Director, Planning and Design (Akwa Ibom).

Sokoto Rima Basin Development Authority (Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina) Bello Yahaya Wurno – Chairman (Sokoto); Abubakar Mallam – Managing Director (Kebbi); Kabiru Ladan Maigoro – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Zamfara); Abubakar Ibrahim – Executive Director, Finance (Katsina); Muttaka Badaru Jikamshi – Executive Director, Agric Services (Katsina); Mansur Aminu – Executive Director, Engineering (Zamfara).

The statement said President Tinubu has charged the appointees to pool their wealth of experience together by injecting a new lease of life in their respective areas of responsibilities in harnessing and developing the nation’s vast water resource potentials for national development.

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of the top management of 12 River Basin Development Authorities with the mandate of effectively developing and managing the