EFCC to direct campaign against illegal miners targeting financiers, buyers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is to intensify it’s campaign against illegal miners, targeting financiers, buyers and compromised government officials.

The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said the Commission would renewed effort in tackling criminals facilitating the illicit trade, adding that the agency was shifting its focus beyond mining excavators.

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The anti-graft boss noted that the illegal mining business was sustained by organised networks involving both local and international actors.

In his key note address at a public lecture and capacity-building workshop organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda in Ilorin, Kwara State, saying it requires dismantling networks responsible for mining financing.

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“Therefore, dealing with illegal mining involves breaking an impregnable chain of fraudulent actors: young men carrying shovels, their financiers, buyers of the minerals, compromised officials facilitating the operation, beneficiaries from the proceeds and other actors,” he stated.

He emphasised that the Commission’s target in the enforcement will be financial investigations, funding activities and tracing of proceeds from the stolen minerals.

Olukoyede disclosed that the Commission has handled 52 illegal mining cases and secured forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid miners to the Federal Government between October 2023 and July 2026.

He clarified that regulation of mining activities was not part of EFCC’s mandate or issuance of mining licence, but has power to investigate involvement of financial activities surrounding the mining, particularly corruption, fraud, money laundering, illicit financial transactions and proceeds of criminal activities within the mining sector.

According to him, l illegal mining posed a threat to national security, noting that uncontrolled mineral extraction and trading could encourage extortion, smuggling, violence and territorial conflicts involving criminal groups.

“Once criminal interests begin to control economic activity in a community, the consequences can extend far beyond lost royalties,” he cautioned.

The EFCC boss further warned that public officials who abused their positions to facilitate illegal mining, manipulate licences or conceal proceeds from mineral theft would face investigation.

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