Halogen Security, a Nigerian security risk management firm, and the Lagos State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are pushing a joint public-private security model to curb illegal mining and protect mineral assets.
The call was made at the 8th edition of the Lagos PR Clinic, themed ‘Collaborative Security as a Paradigm for Mining Security,’ which convened government, security agencies, private-sector operators, academia and industry.
Discussions centred on criminal activity, illegal mining and vandalism across mining corridors, and the need for stronger coordination among public institutions, licensed security providers, businesses and host communities.
Adedotun Keshinro, Lagos State commandant of the NSCDC, said mining security extends beyond individual mine sites to host communities, economic assets, environmental interests and national revenue, requiring a shift from isolated operations to coordinated responses.
He called for tighter alignment among security agencies, regulators, private operators and communities to tackle illegal mining, which has persisted despite enforcement efforts.
Bosun Sosanya, Halogen’s executive director for operations and services, said private security providers should operate as force multipliers for public institutions rather than parallel actors.
‘At Halogen, we do not see our role as separate from that of the state,’ he said.
‘We see private security providers as force multipliers that can work alongside public security institutions to strengthen capacity through deeper collaboration, including joint training, intelligence sharing and capacity building.’
Delivering the lead presentation, Onoja John Attah, commander of the NSCDC mining marshals, outlined the Corps’ efforts to address illegal mining and strengthen enforcement nationwide, highlighting coordinated interventions and intelligence-led operations as key to improving outcomes.
Panelists including Femi Kayode, ASIS chairman; Charles Keku, Pahek Security Services managing director; Franklin Okpara, Unilever chief security officer; Silas S.G, Federal Mines and Steel Development Lagos officer-in-charge and Adedeji Oyenuga, Lagos State University criminology pointed to gaps in intelligence sharing, community engagement and technology adoption.
They said improving safety and accountability in the mining sector will require formal channels for information sharing, joint capacity-building programmes and greater use of surveillance and reporting technology across corridors.
For Halogen, the engagement fits into a broader push for collaborative security as a framework for protecting critical assets while supporting responsible development of mineral resources.
Participants said such partnerships, if sustained, could strengthen enforcement, reduce losses from illegal mining and contribute to more stable revenues from the sector.
For Halogen, the engagement fits into a broader push for collaborative security as a framework for protecting critical assets while supporting responsible development of mineral resources.
Participants said such partnerships, if sustained, could strengthen enforcement, reduce losses from illegal mining and contribute to more stable revenues from the sector.