In yet another crackdown on illegal mining, the EFCC has dragged two Chinese men named Zhang Hong Lin and Gao Pei Hai before the Federal High Court in Lagos. The charge? Digging up Nigeria’s mineral wealth without permission.
The duo is facing five serious charges, ranging from conspiracy to illegal mining to unlawful possession of minerals like lithium and copper, resources that are increasingly in demand globally. There’s also a third person in the mix, Gao Pei Yu, who’s reportedly on the run.
At the hearing on Wednesday, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke presided as the EFCC’s legal team, led by Bilikisu Buhari-Bala (with Chinenye Okezie and Hanatu Kofanaisa), laid out their case. They alleged that the accused tried to pull a fast one on the federal government by mining and preparing to export valuable minerals, without any legal clearance.
And we’re not just talking about one or two rocks here. According to the EFCC, they were caught with containers of Mica minerals, lithium-bearing minerals like Spodumene and Petalite, and copper-related ores like Bornite and Cuprite, all allegedly packaged for export. Basically, it looked like a full-on mining operation running quietly under the radar.
The prosecution claims this all went down in May 2025, and that the actions violated Nigeria’s Miscellaneous Offences Act of 1983. It’s an old law, but the penalties still bite.
Unsurprisingly, the accused pleaded not guilty. Their lawyer, Jeremiah Okoro, pushed to keep them in EFCC custody while he moved a bail application. But the judge wasn’t having it.
Justice Aneke ruled that the two be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre and scheduled their trial for July 4, 2025.
So now, all eyes are on what happens next. Will this be just another high-profile case that fizzles out, or will Nigeria finally send a strong message about protecting its natural resources?
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