UNODC Urges Stronger Support for NSCDC Mining Marshals Against Illegal Mining

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has called for closer cooperation with the NSCDC Mining Marshals as illegal mining increasingly fuels organised crime and security threats in Nigeria, West Africa and the Sahel. During a strategic meeting in Abuja, the UNODC praised the unit’s arrests, investigations and prosecutions. The agency also presented its CONNECT Initiative, which is designed to help governments and law-enforcement agencies disrupt links between crime networks, terrorist groups and their financing. Nigeria has been invited to join the initiative ahead of its planned November 2026 launch. The Mining Marshals are seeking formal inclusion, arguing that illegal mineral exploitation must be addressed to weaken the financial networks that support terrorism. The unit also called for more training in counterterrorism, regional intelligence sharing and joint operations to strengthen the fight against illegal mining.

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