The Federal Government has entered into a strategic partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in a move to curb terrorism financing and money laundering linked to Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Funded by the Canadian government, the new project is to boost the capacity of Nigeria’s criminal justice system to detect, investigate and prosecute illicit financial flows used to bankroll armed groups, conflict and organized crime in the solid minerals sector.
The UNODC’s Project Coordinator on Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Tom Parker, led a delegation to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, in Abuja.
He hailed Nigeria’s crackdown on illegal mining, including the creation of Mining Marshals, a special unit to tackle mineral crimes nationwide.
Commending the UN support, Dr Alake said the backing would strengthen the government’s bold steps to clean up the mining sector and starve criminal networks of illicit profits.
“When I assumed office, I realised we needed a new security architecture for the mining sector.
I sought President Tinubu’s approval to establish the Mining Marshals and they’ve been doing a great job arresting and prosecuting illegal miners,” Alake said.
He said the goal is to send a clear message that it can’t be business as usual.
“Already, many operators are regularizing their operations and obeying the law.”
He added that President Tinubu has approved a cutting-edge satellite monitoring system to track mines across the country where illegal activities occur.
The UNODC team, Project Officers Inneke Geysens-Bourgions and Nicole Andersen, pledged continued collaboration with Nigeria.
This is to help in disrupting illegal mineral flows and safeguarding the sector’s role in national growth.
The fresh partnership is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda to transform solid minerals into a pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification.
It also targets shutting down channels that fund insecurity.
