Blood Minerals: US Lawmaker Links Chinese Mining to Terrorist Funding in Nigeria

​ABUJA — A high-stakes diplomatic and security row is brewing following a scathing indictment of foreign extractive activities in Nigeria by United States Congressman Riley Moore (R-WV).

​In a statement that has sent shockwaves through the international community, Representative Moore alleged that Chinese nationals engaged in illegal mining operations within Nigeria are paying “protection money” to Fulani militants and Islamic terrorist groups. According to the lawmaker, these illicit funds are being directly funneled into the insurgency that continues to claim the lives of thousands of Nigerian Christians.

​The “Protection Money” Economy

​Representative Moore, who recently co-sponsored the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, claims that a symbiotic relationship has formed in the country’s lawless “hinterlands.”

​He noted that illegal mining sites, often rich in gold and lithium, are being operated by foreign interests under the “protection” of armed bandits and extremist groups. In exchange for access to these mineral-rich lands and safety for their workers, these foreign nationals allegedly pay substantial sums to the militants.

​”These aren’t just business transactions; they are blood-money deals,” Moore stated during a recent congressional session. “This capital is being used to buy the very weapons and fuel used to massacre our brothers and sisters in Christ across the Middle Belt and the North.”

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​Heightened US Scrutiny

​The allegations come at a time of increased U.S. pressure on the Nigerian government to address religious persecution. The 2026 Act seeks to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and mandates an annual report on efforts to protect religious minorities.

​The bill specifically calls on the U.S. Secretary of State to counter “hostile foreign exploitation” in Nigeria, explicitly naming illegal Chinese mining as a primary driver of the conflict’s economy.

​A Growing Pattern of Insecurity

​Local traditional rulers and security experts have long raised alarms about the “Chinese connection” in the gold-rich fields of Osun, Zamfara, and Kaduna states. In 2024, reports surfaced of local communities feeling “conquered” by foreign miners who bypass federal regulations by striking deals with local warlords.

​While the Chinese Embassy in Abuja has previously maintained that it encourages its nationals to obey local laws, the sheer scale of the unregulated mining sector has made it a primary revenue stream for non-state actors. With the U.S. now formally linking these operations to the financing of global terror networks, Nigeria faces renewed pressure to sanitize its extractive industry or face potential international sanctions.