The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the activities of the Mining Marshals Corps, a specialised security unit comprising over 2,200 personnel drawn from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Abdulmaleek Danga (APC-Kogi) during Wednesday’s plenary, who raised serious concerns about the unit’s deviation from its core mandate.
The Mining Marshals were inaugurated on March 21, 2024, by the Federal Ministries of Solid Minerals Development and Interior to secure mining sites and combat illegal mining and banditry in mineral-rich communities. However, Mr Danga alleged that the unit had instead engaged in the wrongful arrest and harassment of legitimate mineral title holders.
The lawmaker also alleged significant financial impropriety, including the reported discovery of over ₦2 billion in the bank account of a former state commander. He noted that the commander was merely redeployed rather than subjected to judicial inquiry, prosecution, or internal disciplinary action—raising suspicions that wealthy illegal mining syndicates had compromised the unit.
Further concerns were raised over the procurement and allocation of operational vehicles without clear evidence of legislative appropriation or budgetary provision.
The House has mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the unit’s activities nationwide. The probe will examine the ₦2 billion account allegation, other cases of compromise, the source of funding for operational vehicles, and all external financial inflows to the unit.
The committee is also tasked with reviewing the statutory compliance of the unit’s creation, structure, and composition, and recommending an internationally accepted and legally compliant security model.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, directed the committee to submit its report within four weeks for further legislative action.