Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has celebrated the 15-year conviction of Ansaru terrorist group commander Mahmud Usman as a critical step in curbing illegal mining, which he says fuels banditry and threatens the nation’s mining sector.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the verdict on Thursday, September 11, 2025, remanding Usman to face 31 additional terrorism charges linked to attacks like the 2022 Nigerian Army Wawa Cantonment assault and the Kuje Prison raid.

Alake, in a Sunday statement via his media aide Segun Tomori, praised the judiciary for aligning with his ministry’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal mining. “It is gratifying that the judiciary is aligned with the ministry’s objective,” he said, promising tougher measures soon to further clamp down on the practice.

The minister highlighted how bandits exploit illegal mining to fund operations, a concern underscored by the Ansaru group’s activities – its full name, Helpers for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa, reflects its militant agenda. Alake credited the Department of State Services for their role in tracking and arresting Usman, vowing to boost inter-agency efforts to enhance surveillance and eliminate such threats. The ministry will closely follow the remaining 31 cases against Ansaru leaders to glean lessons for regulators in strengthening sector oversight.

Alake’s Mining Marshals, launched in 2024 to secure mining sites, played a key role in Usman’s arrest, marking a milestone in the initiative’s efforts to sanitize the industry. Recent actions, like sealing an illegal gold mining site in the Federal Capital Territory, reflect the minister’s push, with over 300 arrests reported since the program’s inception. The conviction signals progress in securing Nigeria’s mineral wealth, a sector Alake says is vital for economic diversification amid declining oil reliance.