Recently, the Federal High Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, sentenced lorry driver Olamilekan Basit to one year's imprisonment for illegally possessing 30 tonnes of assorted solid minerals without lawful authority.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.

Basit was apprehended by EFCC operatives on 11 June 2024 in Balla, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, while transporting the minerals without proper documentation.

Upon his arraignment by the EFCC, Mr Basit pleaded guilty to the one count preferred against him.

The development prompted the prosecution lawyer, Rashidat Alao, to present evidence and a witness to establish the facts of the case.

The trial judge, Abimbola Awogboro, convicted and sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of a N1 million fine.

Additionally, the court ordered Mr Basit to pay N5 million in mineral royalties to the federal government. This is not the first time the EFCC has secured convictions related to illegal possession of solid minerals.

On 22 May 2024, the Commission arraigned two suspects, Nura Lawal and Tunde Jimoh, before Justice Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Mr Lawal, a truck driver, and Mr Jimoh, the truck escort, were caught conveying about 30 tons of solid minerals without lawful authority.

Mr Lawal pleaded guilty to the charge, which was interpreted to him in Hausa, while Mr Jimoh pleaded not guilty.

In another development, the EFCC's Enugu Zonal Directorate, in November 2024, arrested two Chinese nationals Wang Jiang and Wang Richard alongside two Nigerians, Donatus Agupusi and Michael Agu, for allegedly attempting to illegally export solid minerals.

The EFCC said it received intelligence from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on 3 November 2024, which led to Mr Jiang's arrest at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport during a baggage screening. The others were apprehended at the EFCC's Enugu office.

Investigations by the EFCC revealed the minerals were being exported without the required federal government permit, and the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Mr Awogboro also convicted two other individuals for cybercrime offences: 25-year-old photographer, Oyerinde Sodiq, and Ibrahim Aranfajo, a phone vendor.

Mr Sodiq was found guilty of impersonating one "Vickie Mary" on Telegram to defraud a foreign national, identified as "I've Canner," of $550.

He was sentenced to 300 hours of community service, at five hours per day, without an option of fine.

In addition to the sentence, the court ordered Mr Sodiq to forfeit $300, an iPhone 12 Pro Max used in the crime, and to pay the remaining $200 to the victim or serve an additional two months in prison after completing his community service.

Similarly, Mr Aranfajo was sentenced to 300 hours of community service without an option of fine. He also forfeited his iPhone 6X to the federal government.

In a separate ruling, another judge, Haleema Saleeman of the Kwara State High Court sentenced another cybercrime convict, Maruf Babawale, to six months imprisonment or a N200,000 fine.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of his iPhone 11 Pro and the restitution of $300 to his victim.