Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has hailed the conviction of Ansaru commander, Mahmud Usman, as a “major victory” in the fight against illegal mining and its links to terrorism financing.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced Usman to 15 years in prison and ordered him remanded to face 31 additional terrorism-related charges.
In a statement, Alake praised the judiciary for reinforcing government efforts to dismantle criminal networks exploiting Nigeria’s mineral resources.
“It is gratifying for me that the judiciary is aligned with the ministry’s objective of zero tolerance for illegal mining. This verdict has finally established that bandits engage in illegal mining to fund their operations. Further tightening of the noose around illegalities in mining continues as more drastic measures will be announced shortly,” he said.
The minister disclosed that his ministry would closely monitor the proceedings of the remaining 31 terrorism cases involving Ansaru commanders. He said regulators must draw lessons from the cases to strengthen capacity for combating illegal mining.
Alake also commended the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) for its role in tracking, detecting, and arresting the terrorists. “We shall increase inter-agency collaboration to raise the tempo of surveillance to rid our communities of illegal mining perpetrated by bandits,” he added.
Ansaru, translated as Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa, has been linked to several terrorist attacks, including the raid on Kuje Prisons in 2022 and the assault on the Nigerian Army’s Wawa Cantonment.
It would be recalled that in 2024, Alake launched the Mining Marshals as part of efforts to secure the sector and eliminate the financing of terror groups through illicit mineral exploitation.
Folalumi Alaran
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