A non-governmental organisation, Bincike International, has called on the Federal Government to revoke illegally issued mining permits operating within Nigeria’s protected reserves and prosecute individuals and organisations involved in unlawful mining activities.

The organisation also urged the government to ensure that degraded areas are properly restored, warning that unregulated mining is damaging agricultural land, contaminating water sources and threatening the livelihoods of communities that depend on the affected environments.

The Executive Director of Bincike International, Dr Elisha Bello, said illegal mining operations are taking place in some areas with little regard for environmental regulations, human rights and worker safety. He also raised concerns about child labour and the links between illegal mining activities and insecurity in some rural communities.

Bello said Nigeria’s significant deposits of critical minerals present an opportunity for economic development, but warned that illegal exploitation is allowing criminal networks to benefit from the country’s natural resources while governments and host communities lose potential revenue.

He specifically alleged that illegal mining activities have encroached on environmentally sensitive locations, including Cross River National Park and Gashaka Gumti National Park. According to him, some operations are being conducted under improperly issued or fraudulently obtained licences, potentially violating provisions of Nigeria’s mining and national park legislation.

The group warned that mining within protected landscapes could accelerate deforestation, soil erosion and water contamination while threatening biodiversity. Species identified as being at risk include the Cross River gorilla, forest elephants and chimpanzees.

Bello also pointed to the commercial importance of Nigeria’s mineral resources, particularly lithium. He argued that the country’s high-grade deposits could generate significant economic value if properly regulated, processed locally and incorporated into formal supply chains.

To address the problem, Bincike International called for stronger transparency measures across the mining sector, including independent audits and public monitoring of mineral extraction. The organisation said such measures could help ensure that royalties and other revenues reach government coffers and host communities.

It also urged authorities to strengthen environmental and human-rights enforcement, tackle child labour, improve protection for conservation personnel and address the relationship between illegal mining, environmental degradation and insecurity.

The organisation further proposed greater involvement of host communities in protecting conservation areas, arguing that communities should have a formal stake in safeguarding protected lands and natural resources.

Bincike International maintained that Nigeria’s mineral wealth should contribute to national development rather than enrich illegal networks at the expense of the environment, local communities and public revenue.

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has declared that Nigeria is strategically positioned to anchor the continent’s mineral evolution by leveraging its estimated $750 billion in untapped mineral wealth. Confirming his attendance at the upcoming African Mining Week in South Africa, the Minister emphasized the federal government’s resolve to establish Africa as a premier, globally competitive destination for mining investments through aggressive regulatory adjustments and structured regional partnerships.

Speaking in Abuja during a strategic session with the event organizers, Energy Capital and Power, Alake stated that the nation’s upcoming participation coincides with a crucial milestone for continental resource governance. This development follows the presidency’s recent endorsement of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group Charter, alongside the Minister’s appointment as the pioneer head of the organization’s steering committee.

According to the ministry, the central government intends to utilize the international gathering to transition its policy blueprints into actionable cross-border ventures, unified regulatory approaches, and sustainable financing models. The administration’s current sectoral roadmap targets raising the mining industry’s contribution to the national gross domestic product to 10 percent by expanding national exploration projects, improving geological data collection, and strictly enforcing local mineral beneficiation laws.

Nigeria is actively strengthening bilateral ties with key regional counterparts, including South Africa and South Sudan, recognizing that long-term global competitiveness requires integrated continental markets and shared infrastructure. A major highlight of the upcoming summit will be an exclusive roundtable focusing on the deployment of the Africa Minerals and Metals Exchange, mineral tokenization frameworks, and public-private funding options designed to secure the continent’s place in strategic global supply chains.

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The legal battle over control of a disputed mining site in Endo Community, Nasarawa State, has taken a fresh turn as Lideal Mines Limited filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal in Makurdi, challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.

The dispute involves Lideal Mines Limited, the Nasarawa State Government and Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited over mining rights in Endo Community located in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The appeal stems from a ruling delivered by the Federal High Court in Lafia on May 11, 2026, which issued interlocutory orders restraining all parties from accessing or conducting mining operations within disputed cadastral units in the area.

However, Lideal Mines, through its lead counsel, Martin Ojonimi Atojoko, argued that the lower court exceeded its authority by issuing orders that allegedly addressed issues still awaiting determination in the substantive suit.

According to court documents made available to journalists, the company described the ruling as a form of “judicial overreach,” arguing that it effectively legitimised executive actions whose legality remains under dispute.

In its Notice of Appeal, the company stated that the trial court prematurely made findings touching on constitutional questions central to the main case.

“The learned trial judge erred in law,” the company argued, stating that the court gave effect to executive actions despite unresolved questions surrounding constitutional authority over mining regulation.

Lideal Mines further argued that the ruling effectively prejudged the dispute before hearing the substantive issues.

The company also maintained that the Federal Government has exclusive constitutional authority over mineral resources under Item 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.

The appeal forms part of a wider legal dispute already before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Lideal Mines is challenging what it described as an unlawful suspension of its mining activities and alleged takeover of its operations.

The company is seeking ₦5 billion in damages against the Nasarawa State Government, the state Attorney-General and Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited.

Court filings show that Lideal Mines is also contesting suspension and evacuation notices issued in February and March 2026, arguing that they violated constitutional provisions.

According to the firm, more than 160 armed security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies, were allegedly deployed to enforce its removal from the disputed site.

Lideal Mines further claimed that its mining location at Cadastral Unit 3 in Endo Village was subsequently reassigned to Ganfeng Lithium, a move it described as unconstitutional and unlawful.

The company has now asked the appellate court to overturn the interlocutory ruling and halt further enforcement actions, insisting that the appeal raises significant constitutional and jurisdictional questions.

Meanwhile, the company has also filed a motion seeking a stay of execution of the May 11 ruling pending the outcome of the appeal.

The case continues to attract attention as debates intensify over regulatory powers, mining rights and the role of state governments in federally licensed mineral operations in Nigeria.

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