Aniefiok Chrisotpher
A fresh bill at the United States house of representatives has proposed that the country’s secretary of state works with the Nigerian government to thwart “hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations.”
The proposed legislation, titled: ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’, was introduced by five Republican lawmakers on Tuesday.
The bill also proposed that the US secretary of state should consider “technical support to the Government of Nigeria to reduce and then eliminate violence from armed Fulani militias”.
Clause 10 and 11 of the proposed legislation read as follows:
“The Secretary of State should work with the Government of Nigeria to counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.”
The secretary of state is expected to determine whether certain “Fulani-ethnic militias” in Nigeria qualify as “Foreign Terrorist Organisation.”
In April 2023, a report published by The Times, a British national daily, stated that Chinese nationals in the mining sector are funding terrorist groups in parts of Nigeria to secure access to the country’s mineral reserves.
The report said through bribes and illegal transactions, “Beijing could be indirectly funding terror in Africa’s largest economy”.
The report detailed that some Chinese nationals, who have worked informally as miners in Zamfara, serve as runners for some militant groups in the state and in the north-west of the country.
China Rejects U.S. Lawmakers’ Allegations
Meanwhile, the Chinese government has rejected allegations by five US Congressmen of sponsoring illegal mining in Nigeria, describing the claims as “completely baseless.”
The Chinese embassy also rejected the claim that it was funding radical Islamic groups and ethnic militias to protect its mining interests by “paying protection money to specific militias.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Chinese embassy in Nigeria said it was deeply dissatisfied with the “false accusations” made by the lawmakers regarding mining activities in Nigeria.
“We express our firm opposition and strong dissatisfaction, and request that the relevant media immediately cease spreading such false information,” the statement read in part.
The Embassy noted that China requires all its nationals to abide by the Nigerian mining regulations, adding that the country has “zero tolerance for mining companies involved in any illegal activities.
“The overwhelming majority of Chinese mining companies in Nigeria have set an exemplary record of compliance with Nigerian laws and regulations.
“They actively give back to local communities, fulfill their social responsibilities, protect the natural environment, and have made positive contributions to deepening bilateral mining cooperation, supporting local economic development, and creating employment opportunities,” it declared.
PREMIUM TIMES reports China was responding to allegations of illegal mining in a bill presented to the US Congress by five Republican lawmakers.
The bill titled “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” linked Chinese illegal mining to terrorism funding in Nigeria.
The lawmakers are: Riley Moore of West Virginia, Chris Smith (New Jersey), Bill Huizenga (Michigan), Brian Mast (Florida), and Mario Diaz-Balart (Florida).
According to the lawmakers, the bill aimed at addressing what they described as ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.
They argued that Chinese nationals involved in “illegal mining” operations are paying terrorists for protection.
“The Secretary of State should work with the Government of Nigeria to counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilising practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias,” the five lawmakers stated in their bill.
A study conducted by SBM Intelligence, a research consultancy and strategic intelligence firm in Lagos, revealed how Chinese companies bribed terrorist groups in some parts of the country to access mining sites.
The firm shared its findings with The Times, a British newspaper, revealing videos of militant leaders boasting how powerful they had become, so that Chinese miners working in their strongholds had to pay “rent”.
Additionally, an investigation by WikkiTimes, a grassroots newspaper in Bauchi State, revealed how Chinese-affiliated miners bribed the terror faction of Dogo Gide to gain access to mining sites in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
