Two suspected illegal miners were detained on Wednesday by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos, according to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants face a five-count charge of unlawful possession and exportation of mineral resources after being detained by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1.
According to one of the counts, “You, Zhang Hong Lin, Gao Pei Hai, and Gao Pei Yu (at large), conspired between yourselves and with the intention to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria of the proceeds therefrom, and you engaged in an export of “Mica products, copper bearing and lithium bearing mineral resources” out of Nigeria, and you did so without the consent of the appropriate authority. You also committed an offence against Section 8 (a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act,
The offense was pleaded “not guilty” by the defendants.
The defendants were remanded in a correctional facility and the prosecution’s attorney, Bilkisu Buhari, requested a trial date in light of their plea.
However, the defense attorney, Jeremiah Okoro, requested that the court place his clients in the EFCC’s custody while the bail application was being heard.
The judge turned down the defense attorney’s request to place his clients in an EFCC custody instead of a correctional facility.
The trial’s start date was further adjourned until July 4, 2025.
The two Chinese nationals were detained by EFCC operations on May 9, 2025, along with six Nigerians, for an alleged crime committed in Ogun State’s Ogere region.
Read more about the EFCC’s arrests of two Chinese nationals and six Nigerians for illegal mining.
Following credible information obtained by the Commission and thorough investigation into their activities, the suspects, including Zach Hang Lin, Gao Pei Hai, Matthew Mathias, Oluwaseun Amoo, Wasiu Ademola Alao, Ajibola Nurudeen, Ibrahim Yinusa, and Saidu Shuaibu, were apprehended during a sting operation.
Three trucks full of sacks of substances thought to be ground lithium powder and other still-unidentified solid minerals were discovered by operatives at the time of the arrest.
Source: Channels TV
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