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UNODC Links Illegal Mining in Nigeria to Terrorism, Organised Crime and West Africa Insecurity
UNODC Links Illegal Mining in Nigeria to Terrorism, Organised Crime and West Africa Insecurity
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has raised fresh concerns over the growing security implications of illegal mining in Nigeria, linking the illicit activity to organised crime, terrorism and the wider insecurity affecting parts of West Africa.
The UN agency made this known in a statement on Monday following a high-level engagement between its officials and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals.
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The delegation was led by Tullio Santini, Chief of the Africa Section of the Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) at UNODC, who held discussions with members of the NSCDC Mining Marshals’ enforcement unit on strengthening efforts to tackle illegal mining and its links to criminal networks.
Santini described the Mining Marshals as a critical component of Nigeria’s response to illegal mining, particularly given the potential for proceeds from illicit extraction activities to fuel criminal and terrorist operations.
A major focus of the meeting was the UNODC Crime-Terrorism Nexus Initiative, led by Robert Haslinger, a law enforcement expert from the Swedish Police.
According to the UNODC, the initiative provides a strategic framework for strengthening cooperation between governments and law enforcement agencies in identifying and dismantling the financial and operational connections between organised criminal networks and terrorist groups.
The engagement also highlighted the importance of disrupting the financial channels that enable illegal mining operations and other forms of organised criminal activity to thrive.
Representing the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commander John Onoja Attah said UNODC’s support remained crucial to Nigeria’s efforts to combat illegal mining and address the security challenges associated with the illicit trade.
Attah further disclosed that previous training programmes supported by UNODC had significantly strengthened cooperation between the NSCDC Mining Marshals and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).
The improved collaboration, he noted, has enhanced the ability of relevant agencies to track financial activities associated with illegal mining and strengthen enforcement against those benefiting from the illicit industry.
The latest engagement underscores growing international concern over the connection between illegal resource exploitation, criminal financing and terrorism, while highlighting the need for stronger inter-agency and cross-border cooperation to tackle the problem.
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