The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has raised alarm that terrorist groups in Nigeria are sustaining their operations through proceeds from illegal gold mining activities across parts of the country.
Speaking at a security forum in Abuja on Friday, General Musa warned that the unchecked exploitation of mineral resources has become a major funding stream for insurgents, bandits, and other non-state armed actors, fueling insecurity in the North and other regions.
“The link between illegal mining and terrorism is undeniable. Terrorist groups have infiltrated mining sites, extorting and controlling operations, and then using the proceeds to buy weapons, recruit fighters, and expand their networks,” the CDS said.
He stressed that the military, in collaboration with security agencies, is intensifying efforts to dismantle the financial lifelines of terrorist organisations by targeting illegal mining hubs and their sponsors.
General Musa called for stronger synergy between the federal government, state authorities, traditional rulers, and local communities to curb the menace, noting that military operations alone cannot address the economic underpinnings of insecurity.
“Without cutting off their funding sources, military victories will only be temporary. We must win both the battle on the ground and the battle against illicit finance,” he added.
Security analysts have repeatedly warned that Nigeria risks losing billions in revenue while insecurity persists if illegal mining remains unchecked.
The CDS’s statement comes amid ongoing military offensives in Zamfara, Katsina, and Niger States, where illegal mining and terrorism have been closely linked.
He further assured Nigerians of the Armed Forces’ commitment to restoring peace, but urged citizens to provide intelligence and resist collaboration with illegal miners, whom he described as “enablers of terror.”
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