Illegal Mining Crackdown: Chinese Nationals and Firm Convicted in Ilorin Court

Date: 2025-03-11

Two Chinese nationals, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, have been sentenced to jail for engaging in illegal solid mineral mining activities in Kwara State. The pair were convicted alongside their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, by Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), through its Ilorin Directorate, prosecuted the defendants on a one-count charge related to unauthorised involvement in solid minerals mining. The court's ruling underscores efforts to enforce regulations and curb illegal mining operations within the state.

The charge sheet read: “That you, Yang Chao, Wu Shan Chuan, and Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, sometime in March 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, engaged in dealing with minerals without lawful authority, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.”

They pleaded “guilty” when the charge was read to them. Following this, EFCC counsel, Sesan Ola, reviewed the facts of the case through a witness—an operative of the commission—who tendered the defendants' extra-judicial statements, a report from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, and the defendants' passports, all of which were admitted in evidence.

Satisfied that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, Justice Awogboro found the defendants guilty, convicting and sentencing them to two years' imprisonment each or an option of a N1 million fine. The N1 million fine was also extended to the company.

In addition to their sentences, the convicts are required to remit N14 million in royalties to the federal government, while all solid minerals found on the premises of their company, located at No.1 Idi Ope Road, along Ogunmakin-Odeda Road, Omi, Ogun State, were forfeited to the federal government, according to a statement by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity for the anti-graft agency.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement     Segun Olawoyin     Dumagi     Oko     Wasiu Odewale     Mohammed Danjuma     Gwanara     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     Labaeka     Galadiman Ngeri     Yemi Osinbajo     Shuaib Abdulkadir     Saka Isau     Alao Ayotunde     Abatemi Usman     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     Oba Abdulraheem     Elekoyangan     Baaziki Sulaiman     Ramadhan     Magaji Are     Alanamu     TESCOM 2025     Nnazua     Seun Bolaji     C2c@kwarastate.gov.ng     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Niyi Osundare     Bamidele Aluko     KWASSIP     Opobiyi     Jimoh Olusola Imam     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Gobirawa     Fatimah Abdulkadir     Tunji Olawuyi     Admiralty Villa     Salihu Jibril Garbi     Oloje     Omar Bolaji Gambari     Alfa Modibo Belgore     Pacify Labs     Abubakar Baba Sulaiman     Ishaq Salman     Halidu Danbaba     Niyi Ogundiran     Abdulrasheed Na\'Allah     Nigerian Army     N-Power     Abdullah Janet Amudat     Doyin Awoyale     Tunde Mukaila Mustapha     Yusuf Ali     Atiku Abubakar     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Freshvine Nigeria Limited     David Adesina     Aliyu Adebayo     Musa Yeketi     Oladipo Akanmu Tolani     Mohammed Lawal     Rafiu Olasile     Kola Shittu     Tunde Oyawoye     Otuka     Yahaya Seriki     Adijat Adebiyi     Kayode Yusuf     Christopher Odetunde     ENetSuD     Egbewole     UITH     Adanla-Irese     Bolaji Abdullahi     Haliru Dantoro     Amusa Bello     Nagode    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Oba Abdulraheem     Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja     Timothy Akangbe     Eleyele     Sulu Babaita Isiaka     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Folajimi Aleshinloye     Ronke Adeyemi     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     New Nigeria People’s Party     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Makama Of Ilorin     Galadima     Kuliyan Geri     Apaokagi     Yahaya Jibril Usman     Abubakar Lah     Lawal Olohungbebe     Waziri Yakubu Gobir     Abraysports FC     Oladipo Akanmu Tolani     Ileloke     Issa Baba     Omu Aran     Erin-ile     Lanre Olosunde     Adeleke Ogungbe     Abubakar Ndakene     Agbarigidoma     COVID     Frootify     Yusuf Badmus     Saadu Gbogbo Iwe     Aiyedun     KWASEIC     Vasolar Consultoria     Micheal Imoudu     Mustapha Olanipekun     S.O. Opowoye     SWAN     Ibrahim Abdullahi     Post Utme     Bello John Olanrewaju     Oba Abdulkadir La\'aro     Playing Host     AGF Abdulrazaq     Garba Ado Sanni     Kwara State Television (KWTV)     Magaji Erubu     Kumbi Titilope     Abiodun Musa Aibinu     Na\'Allah     CLAY POT     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Abdulrauf Aliyu     Ajakaye     Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone     Ayegbeni     Siddiq Adebayo Idowu Salawu     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Valsolar Consultoria     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Sango-UITH Road     Plat Technologies     Amule     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Special Agro-Industrial Hub     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Bolakale Saka     Lateef Alagbonsi     Monkey Pox     Kwara Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     ENetSuD     Samuel Adedoyin     Dan-Kazeem     Javed Khan