The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to intensify the fight against illegal mining in Nigeria.
It was reported that the anti-graft agency boss said the commission will go after those funding the business, buying stolen minerals and helping criminals operate.
He made this known on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in Ilorin, Kwara State, while speaking at a conference on illegal mining, corruption, and its effects on the environment.
The conference was organized by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) in partnership with the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA).
Olukoyede was also given a Fellowship Award by the institute.
Speaking on the theme of the event, Uprooting the Roots of Resource Theft: A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Mining Corruption and Increasing Insecurity in Nigeria, the EFCC chairman said Nigeria was not making enough money from its mineral resources because of corruption, illegal mining and insecurity.
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He said that the country has valuable minerals such as gold, lithium, tin, lead and zinc but continues to lose the benefits because of illegal activities in the mining sector.
Olukoyede explained that illegal mining was not just carried out by people working at mining sites.
He said many people were involved in the business, including those providing money, buying the minerals, transporting them and using their positions in government to protect the activities.
He revealed the EFCC would no longer focus only on arresting people found at mining sites but would also work to identify and arrest those behind the business.
The chairman said the commission would continue to follow the money, investigate those financing illegal mining and ensure that anyone found guilty faces the law.
Giving an update on the EFCC’s work, Olukoyede disclosed that the commission handled 52 illegal mining cases between October 2023 and July 2026.
He said the cases led to investigations, prosecutions and convictions. The commission also secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals during the period.
The event ended with MINILS presenting a Fellowship Award to Olukoyede in recognition of his efforts in fighting corruption and other financial crimes in Nigeria.
