Breaking: Court Seizes Illegal Mining Assets, Orders Permanent Forfeiture To FG

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of assets recovered from Chinese nationals and Nigerian suspects allegedly involved in illegal mining activities in Ogun State.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ruling followed an application filed by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The forfeited items include a mining site located behind the Baale’s Palace on Ileposo Street, near 59 Street in Ode-Remo, Ogun State. Others are a Toyota 4Runner SUV with registration number AWE 261 AE, two trucks loaded with mica and lithium stones, and a 40-foot container filled with large quantities of mineral resources.

Through its counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, the EFCC sought permission to take custody of the seized assets and dispose of them in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and court officials. The commission also requested that the proceeds be kept in an interest-bearing account pending the outcome of the criminal trial.

The application was brought under Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and other relevant provisions of the law.

In an affidavit submitted by an EFCC operative, the commission stated that intelligence reports linked a syndicate of Chinese nationals and Nigerians to illegal mining and trafficking of mineral resources, particularly mica and lithium.

The affidavit further revealed that the minerals were extracted from various locations across the country and transported to a processing site in Ode-Remo, where they were prepared for export through Apapa Wharf and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The EFCC said a sting operation carried out on May 9, 2025, led to the arrest of two alleged Chinese ringleaders and six Nigerian suspects at the mining site.

During the operation, operatives recovered a Toyota SUV, three trucks loaded with mica and lithium stones, and a 40-foot container containing about 3,210 bags of mineral resources.

The commission also told the court that the seized materials were deteriorating due to exposure to the rainy season and were already losing economic value.

It further disclosed that the principal suspects had been arraigned on charges relating to illegal mining and unlawful dealings in mineral resources.

After reviewing the evidence and submissions, Justice Osiagor granted the EFCC’s application and ordered the final forfeiture and disposal of the assets.

The court also directed that proceeds from the sale of the assets be deposited in an interest-bearing account pending the conclusion of the criminal proceedings against the defendants.