Hard Times Await Illegal Miners as Olukoyede Bags MINILS’ Fellowship Award

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to intensify his crackdown on illegal mining by going after the financiers, mineral buyers, compromised public officials and other collaborators who profit from the illicit exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources.

Olukoyede made this disclosure in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while delivering a Keynote address at a joint conference on Illegal Mining, Corruption and Climate Implications organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies MINILS, Ilorin, in partnership with the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA.

Beyond the address, the EFCC’s boss was honoured with the Fellowship of the Institute.

Speaking on the theme, “Uprooting the Roots of Resource Theft: A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Mining Corruption and Increasing Insecurity in Nigeria,” the anti graft czar observed that despite Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources, including gold, lithium, tin, lead, zinc and other valuable minerals, the country was yet to maximise their economic benefits due to corruption, illegal exploitation and insecurity.

He stressed that mineral wealth could only become a national blessing when properly managed and protected from criminal exploitation.

He explained that illegal mining was not merely the handiwork of individuals operating mining pits but involved sophisticated networks of local and international financiers, buyers, compromised officials, transporters and beneficiaries of illicit proceeds.

He therefore advocated an enforcement strategy that goes beyond arresting miners to identifying and dismantling the financial networks behind the criminal enterprise.

“A serious enforcement strategy must move from the pit to the purse,” he declared, adding that the EFCC would continue to follow the money, investigate financiers and facilitators, trace illicit proceeds and prosecute offenders based on evidence.

Giving an account of the Commission’s efforts, Olukoyede disclosed that between October 2023 and July 2026, the EFCC recorded 52 illegal-mining cases within its specialised enforcement portfolio, resulting in investigations, prosecutions and convictions.

He also revealed that the Commission secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals.

He emphasised that illegal mining was not just an economic crime but could fuel extortion, smuggling, violence and other forms of criminality, thereby worsening insecurity in affected communities.

The EFCC Chairman further called for stronger collaboration among mining regulators, law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence institutions, customs authorities, revenue agencies and host communities.

He maintained that effective information sharing, joint intelligence and coordinated operations were essential to identifying the financiers and ultimate beneficiaries of illegal mining.

He also urged organised labour, traditional institutions, civil society and the media to support efforts aimed at promoting transparency, decent work and accountability in the extractive sector.

Earlier, the Director-General of MINILS and Chief Host, Comrade Issa Aremu commended the EFCC under Olukoyede’s leadership for its efforts in curbing illegal activities and promoting accountability in the country.

He also underscored the importance of the conference in advancing labour education and addressing contemporary challenges confronting workers and the environment.

In his remarks, the Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, described illegal mining, corruption and climate degradation as interconnected challenges requiring collective action.

He stressed that organised labour must be central to Nigeria’s transition to clean energy to ensure that workers are not left behind.

He explained that the three-day engagement was designed to equip labour leaders with advocacy, skills development and collective bargaining tools, while promoting a joint action plan for monitoring suspicious mining activities and a Green Accountability Campaign.

The high point of the event was the conferment of a Fellowship Award on the EFCC Chairman by MINILS in recognition of his contributions to the fight against corruption and related economic crimes.