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.

Taofik Abiodun Ahmed     Leke Ogungbe     Iyaloja-General     Kwara Polytechnic     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Tsaragi/Share     SWAN     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Medinat Folorunsho Salman     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Moses Adekanye     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Lawal Olohungbebe     IF-K     Omoniyi     Eleyele     Adekunle David Dunmade     Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP)     Funmi Salau     Okoolowo     Kunle Suleiman     Chief Of Staff     Abraysports FC     Daud Adeshola     Gambari     Sa\'ad Alanamu     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     Alao Ayotunde     Iliasu     Ndama Al-hassan     Tsado Manman     Sherif Shagaya     Lanre Olosunde     Bola Shagaya     Ganiyu Abolarin     Lanre Issa Onilu     Sunset Workers     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Egbejila     Ilota     Village Alive Development Association     Chief Imam Of Offa     Ibrahim Oniye     Alabere     Bayer AG     Tunde Akanbi     Oloje     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Simeon Sayomi     Gbemisola Oguntimehin     Oro Grammar School     Oke-Odo     Olateju Lukman     Jumoke Monsura Gafar     Shuaib Olarongbe     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Alikinla     EFCC     Okasanmi Ajayi     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Wahab Abayawo     Revenue Court     Habeeb Saidu     Oladimeji Thompson     FERMA     Bayo Ojo     SSA Youth     Pategi     Aisha Abodunrin Ibrahim     Niyi Osundare     Nigerian Army     Kayode Zubair     Hijab     Ilorin Metro Park     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Balogin Alanamu     Amasa    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Sarah Alade     IPSAS     Adedeji Onimago     Eruku     Osi     Buari Edun     Aishatu Ahmed Gobir     Elekoyangan     Razaq Atunwa     IHS     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Jare Olatundun     Ishaq Salman     Olajumoke Monsura Gafar     Abatemi-Usman     Alimi     State Bureau Of Internal Revenue     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Haliru Yahaya     Apaokagi     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi     Segun Olawoyin     Farouk Salim     Kwara Basketball Association     Kolawole Akande     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Ridhwanullah Al-Ilory     Olaiya Lawal     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Hameed Oladipupo Ali     Mahfouz Adedimeji     Sarkin Malamai     Abdulkadir Remi Hawawu     Ganiyu Abolarin     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Coalition Of Kwara North Groups     Saduki Lafiagi     Femi Agbaje     Ishola Balogun Fulani     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     Pakata Development Association     Ibikunle Ogunleye     IFK     M.Y. Abdulrahaman     Okanlawon Musa     Lawal Jimoh     Zulkifli Ibraheem     Kayode Ibrahim     Share/Tsaragi     Umar Danladi Shero     Fulani     Matthew Okedare     Igbomina     Balogun-Ojomu     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Yoruba     Ilorin General Hospital     Abdulazeez Uthman     Olumide Daniel Ibitoye     Arinola Fatimoh Lawal     Bahago     Ramadan     Oladimeji Thompson     Segun Adeniyi     Isau     Chemiroy Nigeria Limited     Baba Issa     Salihu Yahaya     Abdulkadir Bolakale Sakariyah     Akorede     Hussein Olokooba     Aminu Adisa Logun     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     NTA Ilorin     TETFUND     Ibrahim Labaika     Mohammed Kamaludeen