Foreigners, Nigerians Arrested in Kokona Crack Down on Illegal Mining

The Nasarawa State Government has intensified its enforcement campaign against illegal mining following the arrest of several foreign nationals and Nigerians during an operation in Amba community, Kokona Local Government Area of the state.

The enforcement exercise, reportedly conducted on Friday under the leadership of the state’s Deputy Governor, Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe, was part of ongoing efforts to curb unauthorised mining and protect the state’s mineral resources.

Officials involved in the operation reportedly recovered suspected illegally mined minerals packaged in cartons, alongside equipment believed to have been used in the mining operation. CCTV cameras allegedly installed at the site were also seized.

The state government said the operation was aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance, preventing the unauthorised exploitation of mineral resources and reducing revenue losses associated with illegal mining activities.

Akabe reportedly reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that mining activities within the state are conducted in accordance with relevant Nigerian laws and regulatory requirements.

The latest arrests come amid intensified efforts by authorities at both state and federal levels to tackle illegal mining, particularly in mineral-rich areas of the country.

Nasarawa has remained a major focus of enforcement activities because of its significant deposits of solid minerals, including lithium. In a separate case earlier in 2026, 15 Chinese nationals and nine Nigerians were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged illegal lithium mining in Kokona Local Government Area. The defendants had been arrested by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals in May.

The NSCDC has also continued a nationwide crackdown on illegal mining. The corps recently disclosed that its Mining Marshals had arrested 671 suspected illegal miners across Nigeria, with hundreds of cases reportedly already brought before the Federal High Court.

Authorities have maintained that the campaign is intended to protect Nigeria’s mineral wealth, improve government revenue, promote lawful mining operations and safeguard communities and the environment from the consequences of unregulated extraction.

The identities of those arrested in the latest Nasarawa operation, as well as the specific charges they may face, were not immediately available in the reports reviewed. The suspects should therefore be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a court of law.