The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of Nigeria arrested two Chinese nationals for alleged illegal mining activities in the Ogere area of Ogun State.
The two foreigners from the far-east were arrested alongside with six Nigerian residents who were also colluding with them in the mineral oriented racket.
Operatives at the Lagos Zonal Directorate for Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ikoyi, explain that the operation, which smoked out many suspects before they were filtered down to just eight, was driven by credible intelligence and detailed surveillance.
The exercise targeted the suspects’ unauthorized extraction of solid minerals, a growing concern in the resource-rich regions of Nigeria.
The suspects, identified as Zhang Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu, were apprehended with significant evidence.
Dele Oyewale is the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who reported that they also managed to recover three trucks loaded with sacks of suspected ground lithium powder and other unidentified solid minerals.
Other items that were impounded during the operation include a Toyota 4Runner SUV, mobile phones, samples of suspected low-grade lithium, ATM Bank cards, international passports, four LED flashlights, and various documents relevant to the investigation.
The arrests highlight Nigeria’s intensified efforts to curb illegal mining, which deprives the country of revenue and fuels environmental degradation.
The EFCC has vowed to prosecute the suspects upon concluding its investigation, signalling a broader crackdown on foreign and local actors exploiting Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
This operation follows similar EFCC actions, including the November 2024 arrest of two Chinese nationals in Enugu for attempting to export solid minerals without permits.
Public sentiment, as reflected in online discussions, expresses frustration over foreign involvement in illegal mining, with some alleging complicity by local officials.
Nigeria’s mineral sector, critical to its USD 350 billion economy, faces ongoing challenges from unregulated activities, prompting calls for stronger oversight.
As South Sudan and the African Union advocate for sustainable resource management, Nigeria’s latest enforcement action underscores the need to protect national assets from exploitation.