The illegal export and unlawful possession of Nigeria’s solid minerals have resulted in the conviction of two Chinese nationals, Zhang Hong Lin and Gao Pei Hai, by Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, secured the conviction after prosecuting the duo on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful possession of mineral resources intended for export without lawful authority.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges, which accused them of conspiring in 2025 to export mica products, copper-bearing and lithium-bearing mineral resources from Nigeria without the approval of the appropriate authorities, with the intent to defraud the Federal Government of revenue.
According to one of the charges, the defendants, alongside one Gao Pei Yu, who is currently at large, committed an offence contrary to Section 1(8)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983, punishable under Section 8 of the Act.
Following their guilty pleas, Counsel to the EFCC, H.U. Kofarnaisa, called investigating officer Matthew Orogwu, who reviewed the facts of the case and tendered documentary evidence before the court.
After evaluating the evidence, Justice Aluko found both defendants guilty on all five counts and sentenced each of them to five years’ imprisonment on each count, with an option of a ₦50 million fine covering all the counts.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of all recovered mineral resources to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
