News
NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector
NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector
By: Michael Mike
The National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and with the support of the Government of Canada, has established a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Mineral Crime and Terrorism Financing.
Nigeria’s mineral sector, particularly artisanal and small-scale gold mining, has increasingly been exploited by criminal and terrorist networks.
These illicit activities have continued to deprive the government of vital tax and royalty revenues, weaken state capacity to deliver essential services, and fuel instability nationwide. By exploiting regulatory gaps and opaque value chains, criminal groups disguise illicit proceeds, perpetuating conflict and organized crime in the country.
The TWG, comprising representatives of law enforcement, intelligence and other security agencies, including those of other strategic MDAs and the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI) under the latest agreement, will collaborate to strengthen the nation’s criminal justice capacity to address illicit financial flows tied to terrorism financing and money laundering in the mining sector by coordinating individual agency responses, supporting national efforts, and guiding policy reforms.
It will also promote community resilience in artisanal mining regions while integrating gender equality and human rights into government interventions.
In his keynote speech at the inaugural meeting of the working group, the NCTC National Coordinator, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, who was represented by the Centre’s Director of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas underscored the Federal Government of Nigeria’s commitment to cutting off terrorist financing at its source, including in the mineral sector.
He said: “Nigeria’s mineral resources remain some of the most valuable national assets we possess. Yet in recent years, the growing exploitation of these resources by criminal syndicates and violent extremist elements has become a significant threat. This is not merely a theoretical risk; it is a lived reality in several regions of our country, where illegal mining intersects with banditry, insurgency, arms trafficking and cross-border smuggling. In past years, the NCTC has recorded remarkable progress in strengthening Nigeria’s counter-terrorism financing architecture. Today’s initiative builds on this momentum. Protecting our mineral resources from criminal capture is not only a security imperative, but it is also a development imperative, an economic imperative and, ultimately, a sovereign duty.”
On his part, UNODC Country Representative for Nigeria, Mr Cheikh Toure,, in his remarks conveyed by Mr Tom Parker, Head of the UNODC Counter Terrorism Unit, praised the leadership of the NCTC, while emphasising that “Illegal mining, and the illicit financial flows generated by this activity, undermine Nigeria’s stability and development. The creation of this interagency Working Group by the NCTC is an important step in reversing this trend. UNODC is committed to strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to detect, investigate, and prosecute financial crimes linked to terrorism and organized crime. Collaboration is fundamental to defeating criminal and terrorist threats, and helps foster shared learning and policy innovation.”
Funded by the Government of Canada, UNODC is working closely with the NCTC together with agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Financial Intelligence Unit, the Mining Marshals Corps and the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to build Nigeria’s capacity towards combating illicit financial flows linked to Nigeria’s mineral sector by deepening analysis of relationship between mineral-related crimes and the financing of terrorism, strengthening supervision in the financial sector by equipping both private and government actors to detect suspicious transactions, and supporting the effective investigation, prosecution, and adjudication of money laundering and terrorism financing cases at the state and federal levels.
NCTC, UNODC Inaugurate Working Group to Counter Criminal and Terrorist Finance in Nigeria’s Mineral Sector
News
Troops clear bandits’ camps, rescue victims, recover arms in Bauchi
Troops clear bandits’ camps, rescue victims, recover arms in Bauchi
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops under Operation WUTAN DAJI have cleared several bandits’ camps, rescued kidnapped victims and recovered arms during clearance operations in Bauchi State.
Security sources said troops of 33 Artillery Brigade Garrison, in conjunction with elements of the Brigade Headquarters and a team from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), carried out the operation in Kumbodoro forest and Kumbodoro village.

According to the sources, the operation was led by the Commander, 33 Artillery Brigade, Brig.-Gen. S.S. Shehu, as part of ongoing efforts to rid the area of criminal elements.
They added that several bandits’ camps, including Azuge camps, were cleared during the operation, while a number of the criminals were neutralised.
Items recovered include four skeletal rifles, four dane guns, two pairs of boots, three helmets, a power bank, a Startimes decoder, one FN rifle magazine, one AK-47 magazine, communication links, a jackknife, six mobile phones, arrows, radio chargers, ATM cards, photographs, identity cards, as well as several pairs of security agency uniforms and leg chains.

The sources further disclosed that eight kidnapped victims were rescued during the operation.
They said troops are currently holding position within the Kumbodoro forest to consolidate gains from the clearance mission.
In a related development, the sources said troops deployed at Duguri, in collaboration with local vigilantes, recovered 36 cows at Mushen Kura village following information that the animals were roaming the area.

“The cows are suspected to have fled from bandits’ camps due to the ongoing operations and are currently in custody for further action,” the sources said.
They noted that troops’ morale and combat efficiency remain high, while operations continue to deny bandits freedom of action in the region.
Troops clear bandits’ camps, rescue victims, recover arms in Bauchi
News
Joint security forces raid herders’ camp in Rivers, recover arms and ammunition
Joint security forces raid herders’ camp in Rivers, recover arms and ammunition
By: Zagazola Makama
Joint security operatives under the Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation Delta Safe, have raided a suspected herders’ camp in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, recovering arms and ammunition.
Security sources said the operation was carried out at about 1:30 p.m. on April 12 along the IPO community axis by troops of 6 Division Garrison in collaboration with personnel of the Air Force, Navy, Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and Civil Defence Corps.
According to the sources, the raid targeted identified herders’ and cattle rearers’ camps in the area.
They added that items recovered during the operation include one AK-47 rifle, one pump-action gun, 274 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and four mobile phones.
The sources noted that the operation is part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal possession of firearms and enhance security across the Niger Delta region.
Joint security forces raid herders’ camp in Rivers, recover arms and ammunition
News
Zulum establishes quarry centre, procures 70 trucks for infrastructure development
Zulum establishes quarry centre, procures 70 trucks for infrastructure development
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced the establishment of a quarry centre in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, to accelerate infrastructure development in the state.
Zulum made this announcement on Monday while flagging off the distribution of 70 brand-new Howo pickup trucks to the Ministry of Works and the State Road Maintenance Agency (BORMA) at the Government House.

The 70 Howo trucks are designed to boost the operational capacity of the Ministry of Works and its supervising agencies. The trucks will enable the swift delivery of materials to sites and faster intervention on distressed roads.
According to the governor, the quarry centre will provide locally sourced materials including granite, gravel and sharp sand to support ongoing and future road projects, reducing dependence on external suppliers and cutting costs.
“We have achieved a lot in health, education, agriculture, security, and road construction among others. However, we still have challenges of constructing roads within the state, especially in rural communities,” Zulum said.
“My administration has established a quarry plant in Pulka with a processing capacity of 120 tons per hour. The State Government spent at least 3 billion to establish the quarry plant”, he added.
According to the governor, due to the prevailing insecurity, most contractors are not willing to work in Borno.

“You know, no serious contractor will take the risk of deploying his equipment to most of the implementing areas, so this is the reason we are here”, the governor reinstated.
“So, we have no option but to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Works, the capacity of Borno State Road Maintenance Agency (BORMA), the capacity of special projects, monitoring departments and other MDAs that are responsible for road construction.”
The brief ceremony was attended by the Secretary to Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani, Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works, Engr Baware, BORMA Chairman, Engr Sadu Auno, the Special Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation, Engr Bukar Gujubawu and other senior officials.
Zulum establishes quarry centre, procures 70 trucks for infrastructure development
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years agoTHE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News12 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
