Assessing impact of illegal mining and its security implications in Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

While the extractive industry holds immense potential for economic diversification in developing economies, unregulated mineral extraction has increasingly metamorphosed into a profound internal security threat. This study investigates the security implications of illegal mining in Plateau State, Nigeria, specifically this study employed Institutional Failure Theory to examine impact on two critical variables: community security and arms proliferation. Adopting a mixed method research design of survey administration and Key Informant Interview, the study leveraged on Krejcie and Morgan (1970) Scientific sampling technique on structured questionnaires to elicit primary data from a purposively selected sample of 384 respondents and 12interviewees, comprising local mining communities, traditional leaders, and security personnel across four Local Government Areas (Barkin Ladi, Jos North, Mangu, and Wase). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression techniques. The findings reveal a strong, statistically significant relationship between illegal mining and the deterioration of community security, evidenced by heightened violence, social mistrust, and the erosion of traditional leadership structures. Furthermore, the study established that illegal mining significantly drives arms proliferation, with illicit mining revenues actively financing the acquisition of small arms and transforming mining sites into hubs for weapons trade and local fabrication. The study concludes that illegal mining in Plateau State has transcended mere environmental and economic infractions to become a primary catalyst for communal instability and the militarisation of local economies, driven by deep-seated institutional failures. Consequently, the study recommends the establishment of a Joint Community Mining Security Framework coordinated by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and traditional institutions to restore local order, alongside a coordinated, intelligence-led security crackdown to dismantle the illicit financial and arms supply chains sustaining mining-related violence.