DECAN Honours Mining Marshals Commander for Operational Leadership

The Defence Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DECAN) has honoured the Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Attah Onoja, with its Outstanding Operational Commander’s Award.

The award was presented at the 2026 DECAN Conference and Awards held on October 12 at the Nigerian Army Command Officers’ Mess 1, WU Bassey Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja.

Onoja attributed the recognition to the operational and leadership philosophy of the NSCDC Commandant-General, Prof. Abubakar Ahmed.

The conference, themed “Beyond Kinetic Warfare: Harnessing Technology and Intelligence-Led Operations for Nigeria’s National Security,” examined the growing role of intelligence, technology and inter-agency collaboration in addressing the country’s security challenges.

In a goodwill message delivered on his behalf by Air Commodore Stephen Ogunmodele, the Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), said military firepower alone could not guarantee national security, emphasising the importance of intelligence in identifying threats and enabling precise operations.

Similarly, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, highlighted the importance of artificial intelligence, geospatial intelligence, space-based surveillance and intelligence fusion in improving operational effectiveness.

The discussions underscored the need for security agencies to complement conventional enforcement with advanced surveillance, intelligence-driven operations and effective information-sharing.

For the Mining Marshals, these strategies are critical to combating illegal mining, protecting Nigeria’s mineral resources and disrupting illicit activities across mining communities.

Effective enforcement, however, requires more than raids and arrests, as sustained intelligence gathering, inter-agency coordination and continuous monitoring are essential to identifying illegal operators and preventing the recurrence of unlawful mining activities.

The conference also examined the security risks associated with artificial intelligence-generated misinformation, alongside the need for responsible defence reporting that protects operational security while upholding public accountability.

The keynote address was delivered by former Chief of Army Staff and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.).

As Nigeria seeks to strengthen national security and maximise the economic benefits of its mineral resources, the effectiveness of intelligence-led strategies will be measured by their impact on illegal mining, the protection of mining communities and the safeguarding of national assets.