A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the final forfeiture of a mining site and several vehicles allegedly used by a Chinese-led syndicate for illegal mineral extraction in Ogun State.
The trial judge, Daniel Osiagor, gave the order following an application by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The court directed that the forfeited assets be handed over to the Federal Government, pending the conclusion of criminal proceedings against suspects linked to the illicit operation.
The assets include a mining site located behind a Baale’s Palace on Ileposo Street, Ode-Remo, a Toyota 4Runner SUV with registration number AWE 261 AE, two trucks laden with mica and lithium stones, and a 40-foot container containing large quantities of the same minerals.
Counsel to the EFCC, Bilkisu Buhari, had urged the court to grant forfeiture and disposal orders in line with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
She also sought an order empowering the anti-graft agency, in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, to dispose of the assets and remit proceeds into an interest-yielding account pending the determination of the substantive suit.
In an affidavit deposed to by an EFCC operative, the commission disclosed that intelligence reports uncovered a network of Chinese nationals and their Nigerian collaborators involved in the illegal mining and export of solid minerals, particularly mica and lithium.
The syndicate was said to have sourced the minerals from different parts of the country before transporting them to a processing hub in Ode-Remo, Ogun State, from where they were prepared for export through Apapa seaport and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
The affidavit further revealed that EFCC operatives, acting on intelligence, conducted a sting operation at the site in the early hours of May 9, 2025, leading to the arrest of two Chinese nationals identified as kingpins and six Nigerians.
Recovered items during the raid included the Toyota SUV, three trucks loaded with mineral resources, and a 40-foot container filled with about 3,210 bags of mica and lithium stones.
The commission told the court that the seized items were at risk of deterioration due to exposure to weather conditions, particularly the rainy season, and were already losing economic value.
It added that the principal suspects had since been arraigned on charges bordering on unlawful dealing in mineral resources.
After reviewing the evidence and submissions, Justice Osiagor granted the application and ordered the final forfeiture of the assets.
He further directed that proceeds from the disposal of the forfeited properties be paid into an interest-bearing account pending the outcome of the ongoing trial.
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