KEY POINTS
- NSCDC arrested four suspects for illegal mining that damaged land around NNPC facilities in Rivers State.
- Investigators said the company had a licence but operated below standard, causing environmental and safety hazards.
- The Corps vowed to intensify its nationwide crackdown on illegal mining to protect natural resources and critical infrastructure.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has detained four individuals accused of carrying out illegal mining operations that damaged land around Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, infrastructure in Rivers State, escalating concerns over the protection of the nation’s energy assets.
The arrests followed a petition from the state-owned oil company, which warned that the activities posed serious risks to its facilities and nearby communities. Acting on the complaint, the NSCDC’s South-South Mining Marshals moved in and sealed the site, citing widespread land degradation and environmental hazards.
CSC Afolabi Babawale, spokesperson for the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja, said in a statement that the suspects are undergoing interrogation and profiling at the Rivers State Command.
Licensed but Operating Below Standards
While preliminary findings showed the company involved had secured a quarry licence, investigators said its operations “fell far below standard operating procedures.” Officials linked this negligence to land subsidence, safety threats, and heightened risks to vital national infrastructure.
The NSCDC said the damage extended beyond the immediate site, creating hazards to surrounding communities and threatening both lives and property. Officials warned that such lapses undermine national security by exposing energy installations to potential disasters.
The site has been sealed off, with further investigations underway to determine the extent of the violations and whether additional parties may be complicit.
The NSCDC, led by Commandant General Ahmed Abubakar Audi, pledged to sustain its crackdown on illegal mining across the country. “We remain committed to safeguarding Nigeria’s natural resources and critical infrastructure,” the Corps said, adding that all perpetrators, regardless of influence, will face justice.
Illegal mining has become a flashpoint in Nigeria, with security officials warning it not only undermines resource revenues but also endangers public safety and damages the environment. With energy facilities already under strain, the latest arrests underscore the high stakes tied to unregulated extraction.
