Mining Marshals in Nigeria have called on the media to refrain from biased or compromised reporting on illegal mining activities in Nigeria.
The Commander of the Mining Marshals, Attah Onoja, while speaking at a media parley organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council in Abuja, called for an end to fake news and misinformation.
“We will not cave in to any blackmail designed to weaken our resolve. Illegal mining cannot be defeated by enforcement agencies alone, and this is why we are calling on the media to be partners in this fight,” Onoja declared.
The Mining Marshals are an enforcement unit created under the Tinubu administration, operating as part of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Since their establishment, mandated by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake, the Marshals have actively dismantled illegal mining camps, prosecuted offenders, and restored peace in volatile mining corridors.
“Our message is clear: Nigeria’s mineral wealth belongs to all Nigerians—not to be plundered by a few,” he emphasised.
The Marshals’ efforts are part of a broader security response targeting states like Zamfara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Osun, and parts of the FCT, including Gwagwalada, Asokoro, Gube, Kuje, and Katampe Extension.
Onoja stressed the importance of relentless enforcement combined with informed media advocacy to dismantle the criminal cartels controlling mining activities.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Ms Grace Ike, earlier urged journalists to go beyond superficial reportage.
She called on the media to conduct investigative journalism that exposes financiers behind illegal mining, amplifies community voices, and holds policymakers accountable.
“As gatekeepers of truth, we must investigate, expose, and educate the public on the devastating effects of illegal mining on communities and natural resources,” Ike said.
The NUJ FCT Council pledged ongoing support to amplify the stories of affected communities, empowering citizens with the information necessary to demand transparency, regulatory oversight, and environmental protection.
The mining marshals are urging the media to partner closely with law enforcement in the fight against illegal mining, ensuring balanced, accurate and fearless reporting that supports Nigeria’s national security and resource sovereignty.