The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) FCT Command has called on legal miners to seek the services of appropriate authorities in settling co-ordinates discrepancies.
The FCT Commandant of the Corps, Dr Olusola Odumosu, gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
Odumosu opined that rather than the use of forces and security agencies to confront one another, it’s better to employ the services of the Mining Cadastral Office for clarification on mapped out mining sites.
While reiterating that the NSCDC has the mandate to ensure the protection of miners and legal mining activities across the country, he said it was imperative for miners to adhere to the rules of engagement.
The commandant further said that in 2025, the command’s Mines and Steel Development Unit, arrested no fewer than 50 suspected illegal miners in the FCT.
Giving a breakdown of the arrests, Odumosu said that the majority of the suspects were arrested at Gwagwalada Area Council, while others were arrested in the Kuje area of the FCT.
“In Gwagwalada, on Feb.16, 26 illegal miners were arrested, on March 11; five suspects, on May 7; one person, May 8; three suspects, May 14; three suspects and on Nov.5, three persons were arrested while 8 were apprehended in Kuje on July,3.
“They were all arrested for their involvement in illegal mining activities in the year under review.
“Many items were recovered from the suspects such as: vehicles, motorcycles, shovels, diggers, miller and pumping machines, illicit drugs, locally made pistols and firearms,” he disclosed.
Odumosu however said that the unit’s operations were challenged by confrontations between miners on site, insufficient operational vehicles, multiplication of illegal miners with backings from superior authorities.
He acknowledged the collaborative efforts of sister agencies especially the Nigerian Army and other security stakeholders in the successful apprehension of illegal miners in 2025.
The Commandant warned illegal miners in the territory to desist operations as the corps will be taking stringent and active measures in 2026 to tackle illegal mining operations in FCT.
