On Friday, March 7, 2025, Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Ilorin convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Yang Chao and Wu Shan Chuan, to prison for their involvement in illegal mining of solid minerals in Kwara State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that the two men, along with their company, Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, were convicted after being prosecuted on a one-count charge related to the unlawful mining and dealing of solid minerals.
The charge stated: “That you, Yang Chao, Wu Shan Chuan, and Crius Chemical Nigeria Limited, sometime in March 2024, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, engaged in dealing with minerals without lawful authority, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 134(b) of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.”
Both defendants pleaded guilty when the charge was read to them. Following their plea, EFCC counsel, Sesan Ola, presented the facts of the case through a witness—an EFCC operative—who tendered the defendants’ extra-judicial statements, a report from the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, and the defendants’ passports, all of which were admitted as evidence.
After careful consideration, Justice Awogboro ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. As a result, the court convicted both men and sentenced them to two years in prison, or alternatively, a fine of N1 million each. The N1 million fine was also imposed on the company.
In addition to the prison sentence or fine, the convicts were ordered to pay N14 million in royalties to the federal government. Furthermore, all solid minerals found at the company’s premises, located at No. 1, Idi Ope Road, along Ogunmakin-Odede Road, Omi, Ogun State, were forfeited to the federal government.
