A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has convicted a mining company and two individuals over the unlawful possession of 58.23 tonnes of lithium and lead ore, sentencing them to 12 months’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N1m fine.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the minerals to the Federal Government and directed the owners of the trucks used to transport them to pay a total of N10m into the recovery account of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC disclosed this in a statement made available to our correspondent in Ilorin on Friday.
The convicts were identified as Abdullahi Dauda, Great River Mining Company Limited and Mohammed Aminu, a truck driver who conveyed the minerals.
The statement reads, “The Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of three defendants, including a company, for offences bordering on unlawful possession of solid minerals, with a total of 58.23 tonnes of lithium and lead ore forfeited to the Federal Government.
“Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, gave the judgment while deciding on the two separate cases filed by the EFCC against Dauda in one case and Great River Mining Company Limited and Aminu in the other.”
According to the EFCC, the charge against Dauda reads: “That you, ABDULLAHI DAUDA, sometime in February, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, without lawful authority, were found in possession of 18 tonnes of solid minerals conveyed in a truck with registration number: SKK-93-XB contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
Similarly, the particulars of the charge against Great River Mining Company Limited and Aminu read:
“That you, Great River Mining Company Ltd and Mohammed Aminu sometimes in February, 2026 at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court had in your possession of 40.23 tons of LEAD ORE a mineral of the Iron Ore family which mineral you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: illegal mining and thereby committed an offence contrary to S. 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”
The EFCC said the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges during the proceedings.
The statement further reads, “Following the guilty pleas, Innocent Mbachie and Mustapha Kaigama, who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the Commission, urged the court to convict the defendants based on their admittance of guilt, the unchallenged evidence tendered before the court, and the provisions of the law.”
In his judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Dauda to 12 months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N1m fine.
The court also ordered the owner of the truck used to convey the 18 tonnes of lithium to pay N5m into the EFCC Recovery Account, while the mineral was forfeited to the Federal Government through the commission.
In the second case, Great River Mining Company Limited and Aminu were each sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, with an option of a N1m fine each.
“The owner of the truck conveying the 40.23 tonnes of lead ore was also ordered to pay N5m into the EFCC Recovery Account, while the mineral was forfeited to the Federal Government through the Commission,” the statement read.
The two forfeiture orders cover 18 tonnes of lithium and 40.23 tonnes of lead ore, bringing the total quantity of minerals forfeited to the Federal Government to 58.23 tonnes.
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