ABUJA — A definitive Senate investigative report has exposed a sophisticated criminal economy in Nigeria’s North-West, revealing that illegal gold mining in Zamfara
, Kaduna, and Katsina states is the primary source of funding for the region’s worsening banditry and mass abductions.
The report, presented on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, details how illicit artisanal mining has evolved from local economic survival into a transnational criminal enterprise that facilitates the procurement of high-grade weaponry. According to the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security, the proceeds from these unregulated mines are directly funneled into the hands of bandits, fueling the “heinous cycle” of school kidnappings, cattle rustling, and the targeted abduction of traditional rulers.
The Economic Hemorrhage
The findings highlight a staggering economic loss to the federation, with Nigeria estimated to lose billions annually to illegal mining. Investigators discovered that gold extracted from these hotspots—particularly Zamfara, widely considered the “headquarters” of the illicit trade—is routinely smuggled across porous borders into Niger and Mali, from where it is laundered into international markets, including Dubai.
Experts contributing to the report warn that this illicit trade has transcended isolated criminality. It now functions as a “sophisticated ecosystem” where criminal networks leverage poor local governance and economic marginalization to recruit and sustain thousands of armed fighters.
Drivers of Instability
The Senate identified several structural failures that have allowed this “gold-fuelled insurgency” to thrive:
- Politicization of Security: The report criticized the inconsistent application of security measures and the alleged interference by political actors in operational decisions.
- Small Arms Proliferation: The unchecked flow of small arms and light weapons from the Sahel region into the North-West mining sites.
- State Failure: Environmental pressures and a lack of federal presence in remote mining communities have allowed non-state actors to provide a shadow form of “governance” through violence.
A Strategy for De-escalation
To combat this threat, the Senate has proposed an integrated security framework that moves beyond traditional military kinetic operations. The report advocates for a strategy that balances military force with intensive community engagement and long-term economic development for marginalized mining communities.
Key legislative and executive recommendations include:
- Regional Military Expansion: A formal request for the Federal Government to expand the mandate of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to specifically cover the northern borders with the Niger Republic.
- Establishment of Mine Rangers: Accelerating the passage of the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service Bill to create a specialized force dedicated to securing mining sites.
- Mandatory Registration: Following a Senate directive, artisanal miners are required to undergo biometric registration or face prosecution for economic sabotage.
The report concludes with a stark warning: unless the “umbilical cord” between illegal gold extraction and the arms trade is severed, the North-West remains at risk of total humanitarian collapse. The Federal Government has been urged to act on these findings immediately to restore sovereign control over Nigeria’s mineral wealth and its borders.
