Two Chinese nationals, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, have been sentenced to two years in prison for illegal mining activities in Kwara State, Nigeria. The court also convicted their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, for its involvement in the illicit operation.
The Federal High Court in Ilorin, presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, found the duo guilty after they pleaded guilty to a charge of dealing in illegal solid minerals, a violation of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which brought the case to court, proved that the defendants had engaged in the unauthorised mining of minerals in March 2024.
Following the conviction, Justice Awogboro sentenced the two defendants to two years in prison each, with the option of paying a N1 million fine. Additionally, the company was also fined the same amount. The convicts were also ordered to remit N14 million in royalties to the federal government. Furthermore, the solid minerals found on the company’s premises, located in Ogun State, were forfeited to the federal government.
This case highlights the EFCC’s commitment to addressing illegal mining activities that undermine the nation’s mineral resources and economic stability.
