The United States Congress has alleged that some Chinese miners operating in Nigeria are financing Boko Haram and other terrorist groups under the guise of paying “protection money” to facilitate illegal mining activities.
The allegation was raised on Tuesday by Congressmen Riley Moore and Chris Smith in a proposed legislation titled ‘Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026’.
The bill is aimed at addressing concerns over religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
According to the Republican lawmakers, certain Chinese mining operators are exploiting Nigeria’s solid mineral resources while allegedly undermining the country’s security by providing financial support to armed groups blamed for prolonged violence and economic instability.
Messrs Moore and Smith urged Nigerian authorities to collaborate with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to develop measures to curb illegal mining and disrupt its funding channels.
“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,” said the lawmakers.
Within the past three years, no fewer than 20 Chinese nationals have been arrested and charged in various Nigerian courts over alleged involvement in illegal mining.
In 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) released photographs of Zhang Hong Lin and Zhao Pei Hai, who were accused of illegally mining and smuggling “mica products, copper-bearing and lithium-bearing mineral resources”.
Their prosecution prompted criticism from the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, which warned that illegal mining could disrupt the global supply chain for solid minerals and have adverse implications for the United States.
However, the China Mining Federation of Nigeria in December rejected allegations that Chinese firms were sponsoring terrorist groups in the country.
“The allegations that Chinese companies are fueling terrorism in Nigeria are completely unfounded,” the statement said.
As of the time of reporting, the Chinese government had not issued an official response to the proposed U.S. legislation accusing Beijing of backing terrorist activities.
