The Federal High Court in Ilorin has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, to prison for illegal mining of solid minerals in Kwara State.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin delivered the verdict against the defendants on Friday, March 7, 2025.
EFCC Case
According to the EFCC, the defendants were prosecuted on a one-count charge related to dealing in solid minerals without lawful authority.
The charge reads:
“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.”
What transpired in court
When the charge was read to the defendants, they pleaded “guilty,” paving the way for a verdict by the judge.
- EFCC counsel Sesan Ola presented as evidence the defendants’ extra-judicial statements, a report from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, and the defendants’ passports.
- The judge stated that, given the defendants’ guilty plea and the prosecution’s evidence, the case had been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
- Justice Awogboro found the defendants guilty and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each or an alternative fine of N1 million each.
Additionally, the judge imposed a N1 million fine on their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited.
The convicts were also ordered to remit N14 million in royalties to the federal government. Furthermore, all solid minerals found on the company’s premises at No. 1, Idi Ope Road, along Ogunmakin-Odede Road, Omi, Ogun State, were forfeited to the federal government.
The judge also convicted Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited in accordance with relevant laws.
What You Should Know
This recent conviction adds to the legal scrutiny surrounding illegal mining activities by foreign nationals in Nigeria, particularly by the EFCC.
- On May 15, 2024, the Federal High Court in Ilorin convicted and sentenced two other Chinese nationals, Duan Ya Hong and Xiao Yi, to one year imprisonment for offences related to illegal mining and possession of solid minerals without the required licenses.
- The duo were arraigned on Monday, April 22, 2024, alongside their company, Ebuy Concept Limited, on a one-count charge of illegal mining.
Illegal mining offences contravene Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1984, and carry various penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
