US lawmaker alleges illegal Chinese mining financing terror groups in Nigeria

2026-02-27 - 20:28

By Efe Onodjae A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has alleged that illegal rare earth mineral mining operations linked to China are fueling terrorist activities in Nigeria, worsening attacks on Christian communities in parts of the country. Moore made the allegation during a live interview on Fox News, following the submission of his report earlier this week to Donald Trump. In the report, he detailed concerns about insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities. According to Moore, while much of the international coverage has focused on religious violence, a critical economic dimension of the crisis has been largely overlooked. “One key point that has been missing from much of the coverage is that the Chinese are running illegal rare earth mineral mining operations in Nigeria,” Moore stated. He further alleged that proceeds from the illegal mining activities are being used to bankroll extremist groups operating in the region. “They are paying protection money to radical Islamic terrorists who use that money to finance their operations to persecute and kill our brothers and sisters in Christ. This cannot continue,” he added. Rare earth minerals are strategic resources used in the production of high-tech equipment, including defence systems, electronics and renewable energy technologies. Nigeria is believed to possess commercially viable deposits of such minerals, a development that has attracted increasing foreign interest in recent years. Moore’s claims, if substantiated, could have far-reaching geopolitical and security implications, particularly amid intensifying global competition over critical mineral resources and rising concerns about insurgency and banditry in parts of northern Nigeria.