Ignorance of the law is no excuse, Nigeria's civil defense corps warns miners

Nigeria's Security and Civil Defence Corps has warned mining operators across the country that breaking mining laws will bring prosecution, regardless of whether offenders claim ignorance of the rules.

The warning came from Assistant Commandant of Corps John Attah, commander of the NSCDC Mining Marshals, in a statement issued in Abuja. It followed a renewed nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at sanitising the solid minerals sector and curbing illegal mining.

The specialised enforcement unit said its operational teams, especially in the South-West, had made progress in ensuring that mining activities comply with existing laws and regulatory requirements. Attah said operators must work within the legal framework. "Ignorance of the law will never be an excuse. Every operator must ensure that mining activities are conducted within the ambit of the law," he said. "Those who choose to operate outside the regulatory framework will face the full weight of legal consequences."

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Ignorance of the law will never be an excuse. Every operator must ensure that mining activities are conducted within the ambit of the law.

Attah said the campaign was intended not only to tackle illegal mining, but also to protect legitimate investors, improve revenue generation and restore confidence in a sector affected by repeated regulatory violations and economic sabotage. Compliance, he said, is essential for exploiting mineral resources safely and sustainably, while ensuring that they benefit the national economy.

Illegal mining has contributed to revenue losses and environmental degradation, while allowing mineral resources to be exploited outside the regulatory system. The government's broader reform effort focuses on a sector that includes gold, lithium, limestone, coal, bitumen and tin, but remains below its potential amid illegal operations, insecurity, weak regulation and unlicensed miners. Successive governments have promoted mining as an alternative source of revenue and foreign exchange as Nigeria seeks to reduce its dependence on crude oil.

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Those who choose to operate outside the regulatory framework will face the full weight of legal consequences.