CYRIACUS IZUEKWE
The arrest of two Chinese nationals in Ogun State, Yang Chao, 39, and Xiao Jiang, 38, has further revealed how the cartel rips Nigeria off through illegal mining and exporting the products abroad without any form of payment as tax to the Government.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ilorin Zonal Command for illegal mining activities in Kwara State.
The suspects were arrested alongside one Chidi Joseph Osuji, 48, suspected to be an accomplice in the illegal business and are currently detained undergoing interrogation over their mining activities in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the EFCC Spokesman, Dele Oyewale, on Sunday, who stated that the three suspects were arrested after the Commission was hinted about their activities and trailed them to their mining sites located at Ogunmakin and Ogere, Ogun State, after days of surveillance, the suspects were finally arrested.
“Preliminary investigations showed that Chao and Chidi are working as factory manager and machine operators respectively with Cruis Chemical Nigeria Limited located at Ogunmakin in Ogun State, while Jiang works with John Odiba Multibiz as an assistant manager in Ogere, Ogun State,” Oyewale said.
He explained that the suspects operate as a cartel and specialised in the illegal mining of minerals such as marble stone, white powder, lithium and lepidolite, among others.
He also explained that they transport the minerals outside the country illegally without any form payment as tax to both the State and Federal Governments.
“Investigations also linked the three suspects as owners of the solid minerals being conveyed by the 41 suspects arrested with truck loads of minerals at Share, Banni, Lade, Patigi and Okolowo in Kwara, and Igbeti and Ogbomosho in Oyo state by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Command of the EFCC on on 5th February, 2024.
“They were arrested for engaging in mining activities without requisite licences,” the spokesman said.
Nigeria’s natural resources have been exploited by foreign criminals for decades, and the extractive sector is the most recent target. Over the years several Chinese nationals have been arrested in Nigeria for their involvement in illegal mining.
In April 2020, the Nigeria Police Force in Zamfara State arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining in Bukkuyum Local Government, where the Federal Government had banned all mining activities over insecurity. In September 2022, a Chinese national was arrested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives in Ilorin, Kwara State, in possession of a truckload of minerals suspected to be lepidolite.
In July 2023, the EFCC arrested 13 more Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities. In August 2023, the Akwa Ibom State Government closed down an illegal mining company operated by Chinese nationals for the firm’s inability to provide authorisation documents for titanium ore mining in Ibeno community.
Nigeria’s mining sector is diverse in mineral resources that will contribute to its gross domestic product. However, the sector appears to have been left in the care of foreigners who operate illegally and export the products abroad without payment of a dime as revenue to the Government.
This could be attributed to policy inconsistencies relating to the extractive sector, which has created disorder across mining activities in Nigeria.