Court jails two Chinese nationals five years each in Lagos for illegal mining

A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced two Chinese nationals, Zhang Hong Lin and Gao Pei Hai, to five years imprisonment each for their involvement in illegal mining and the unlawful export of solid minerals from Nigeria.

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The defendants were involved in the exportation of mica, copper-bearing and lithium-bearing minerals without lawful authority.

Justice Akintayo Aluko convicted the men on Friday after they entered guilty pleas to five counts, including conspiracy and unlawful possession of mineral resources slated for export. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which led the prosecution, stated that the duo engaged in exporting mica, copper-bearing, and lithium-bearing minerals without the necessary authorization.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, a third individual named Gao Pei Yu, implicated in the charges, is currently at large. The prosecution detailed that the three men allegedly conspired in 2025 in Lagos to defraud the Federal Government of revenue derived from these minerals and exported the resources without proper approval.

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The three men conspired in 2025 in Lagos to deprive the Federal Government of revenue from the minerals and exported the resources without the approval of the relevant authorities.

The court found Zhang and Gao guilty on all counts. While each received a five-year prison sentence for each count, the judge offered them an alternative of paying a N50 million fine to cover all charges. Additionally, the court ordered that the mineral resources seized during the investigation be forfeited to the Federal Government.

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The charge said the alleged conduct contravened Section 1(8)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983, and was punishable under Section 8 of the same law.

This conviction follows a series of enforcement actions by Nigerian authorities targeting suspected illegal mining operations, particularly those involving Chinese nationals. In 2023, the EFCC apprehended 13 Chinese nationals for alleged illegal mining activities in Kwara State, part of broader efforts to combat illicit mining and resource trafficking. Previous investigations have highlighted communities becoming centers for illegal lithium mining, raising questions about the operational capacity of illegal miners and their ability to move valuable minerals.

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The prosecution then called its investigating officer, Matthew Orogwu, who told the court what the investigation uncovered and tendered documentary evidence.