A Federal High Court in Ilorin has sentenced two men and imposed a fine on a company after they were found guilty of carrying out illegal mining operations in Kwara State.
The convictions were announced by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a statement published on its official Facebook page on Thursday.
According to the commission, Samuel Sunday, Saheed Lawal Akanji and Saaskrona Nigeria Limited were prosecuted for processing and trading solid minerals without obtaining the licences required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.
The EFCC said the case followed intelligence reports that illegal mineral processing activities were taking place in parts of the state. After monitoring the locations, operatives arrested Sunday at his factory in the Olorunda area near Deeper Life Camp, while Akanji was apprehended at another factory opposite Ojaja University along Passa Road in Eiyenkorin, Ilorin.
“Their journey to jail followed credible intelligence received by the Commission, alleging that some individuals were illegally dealing in and processing solid minerals in Kwara State without the requisite licences,” the commission said.
Investigators found that the suspects were processing and trading minerals such as Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite and Quartz without the approvals required by law.
“Investigations revealed that the defendants were unlawfully dealing in and processing various solid minerals, including Smithsonite, Calcite, Anhydrite, Tennantite, and Quartz, without the licences required under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007,” the commission stated.
The defendants admitted to the charges during their arraignment.
After reviewing the evidence presented by EFCC prosecutor Rashidat Alao, including minerals recovered from the sites, Justice Abimbola Awogboro delivered judgment.
Sunday was sentenced to one year in prison with the option of paying a N2 million fine. The court also ordered the forfeiture of 140 tonnes of mineral ore seized from his factory to the Federal Government.
Akanji received a one-year jail term with the option of a N1 million fine, while Saaskrona Nigeria Limited was fined N1 million.
The judge further ordered that the 90 tonnes of minerals recovered from the company’s premises be forfeited to the Federal Government.
