Kwara Court Jails Illegal Miners, Orders Forfeiture of 58.23 Tonnes of Solid Minerals
A Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, has sentenced two persons and a mining company to 12 months’ imprisonment each over illegal possession of solid minerals.
The court, presided over by Justice Abimbola Awogboro, also ordered the forfeiture of 58.23 tonnes of lithium and lead ore to the Federal Government.
The convictions followed two separate cases prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Abdullahi Dauda, Great River Mining Company Limited and Mohammed Aminu, a truck driver involved in transporting the minerals.
According to the EFCC, Dauda was arrested in February 2026 for possessing 18 tonnes of solid minerals without lawful authority. The minerals were conveyed in a truck with registration number SKK-93-XB.
He was prosecuted under Section 1(8)(b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
In a separate charge, Great River Mining Company Limited and Aminu were prosecuted for possessing 40.23 tonnes of lead ore allegedly connected to illegal mining activities.
Their offence contravened Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the charges when they were arraigned before the court.
Following their pleas, EFCC prosecutors, Innocent Mbachie and Mustapha Kaigama, urged the court to convict them accordingly.
Delivering judgment, Justice Awogboro sentenced Dauda to one year in prison, with an option of a ₦1 million fine.
The court further ordered the owner of the truck used in transporting the 18 tonnes of lithium to pay ₦5 million into the EFCC Recovery Account. The mineral was also forfeited to the Federal Government.
In the second case, Great River Mining Company Limited and Aminu were each handed 12 months’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦1 million fine.
The owner of the truck used to convey the 40.23 tonnes of lead ore was equally directed to pay ₦5 million into the EFCC Recovery Account, while the lead ore was forfeited to the Federal Government through the EFCC.
