Illegal mining in Nigeria linked to terrorism, insecurity – UN speaks after meeting NSCDC

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has connected illegal mining in Nigeria to organised crime, terrorism, and insecurity throughout West Africa. This revelation came to light after a meeting with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals, following a delegation led by Tullio Santini, the Chief of the Africa Section of the Terrorism Prevention Branch at UNODC.

Santini emphasized the crucial role of the NSCDC Mining Marshals' enforcement unit in combating illegal mining in the country.

The primary focus of the discussion was the UNODC Crime-Terrorism Nexus Initiative, spearheaded by Robert Haslinger, a law enforcement expert from the Swedish Police. This strategic framework aims to strengthen collaboration among governments and law enforcement agencies to disrupt the financial and operational ties between criminal networks and terrorist organizations.

During the meeting, Commandant General of the NSCDC, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, conveyed the significance of UNODC's involvement in the fight against illegal mining in Nigeria. He highlighted that previous UNODC-supported training programs had greatly enhanced cooperation between the Mining Marshals and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).