…Hails Terrorist Commander’s Conviction as Big Win Against Illegal Mining
By John Paul
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Chief Dele Alake, has described the conviction of Mahmud Usman, a commander of the Ansaru terrorist group, as a landmark victory in the federal government’s battle against illegal mining and its link to insecurity.
A Federal High Court in Abuja last week sentenced Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to engaging in illegal mining. His deputy, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, was charged alongside him. Both men were accused of illegally mining precious minerals, including thunder stones and california stones, between 2015 and 2025 without lawful authority.
Dr. Alake, in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by his media aide, Segun Tomori, said the judgment confirmed what the ministry has consistently warned that terrorists and bandits use proceeds of illegal mining to bankroll their violent campaigns.
“It is gratifying that the judiciary is aligned with the ministry’s objective of zero tolerance for illegal mining,” Alake said. “Further tightening of the noose around these illegalities continues, as more drastic measures will be announced shortly.”
He commended the Directorate of State Services (DSS) for what he described as diligent monitoring and decisive action that led to the arrest and prosecution of the terrorist commanders. He added that the ministry would closely track the 31 other pending terrorism cases against Ansaru commanders to extract lessons that will further strengthen the fight against illegal mining.
Alake also pledged to intensify inter-agency collaboration, noting that only through robust surveillance and security coordination can the government rid communities of criminal groups feeding off the nation’s mineral resources.
Since 2024, the minister has spearheaded reforms to secure Nigeria’s mineral wealth, including the establishment of the Mining Marshals, a specialised unit within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to patrol and protect mining sites nationwide. He has also repeatedly warned that powerful cartels of illegal miners sponsor banditry to protect their illicit trade, insisting that the federal government will pursue them with renewed vigour.
With the latest conviction, Alake said the message was clear: “No individual, group, or syndicate is beyond the reach of justice in our fight to sanitise the solid minerals sector.”